Songfacts®:

• After Slowthai won the Hero of the Year award at the 2020 NME Awards, the rapper made a series of sexual comments toward comedian Katherine Ryan, drawing angry shouts from the crowd. Ryan, who was co-hosting the awards, said Slowthai didn't make her uncomfortable, but he still garnered heaps of criticism for his behavior. This included the withdrawal of his invitation to be the ambassador for the following month's Record Store Day. On this song, Slowthai fronts up to his haters and takes aim at the modern phenomenon of cancel culture.
• Slowthai reunited with Skepta on this track following their collaboration on his 2019 single "Inglorious." During his verse and the hook, Skepta rails against those who have tried to tear him down, listing his awards and achievements and calling them hypocrites.
• Slowthai explained to Rolling Stone that after the NME Awards he was in a dark place and doubting himself. Skepta reassured the rapper, telling him, "This isn't your defining moment, bro. Use this. Come out stronger, come out harder. Show the world what you're about. F--k all that worrying. Just be you and live your life. It's rock & roll, you're a rock star."
  
  Following that pep talk, they came out with this song, where Slowthai's message is, "I know who I am and I know what I am. No one can tell me any different. No one can change the course of my fate based on their views and opinions. I'm not about that. I'm here to change things, I'm here to make things better and I'm here to lead people to a brighter future with optimism."
• Slowthai previously addressed his incident at the NME Awards on his 2020 track "ENEMY" ("Enemy" being a satirical pronunciation of NME).
• Slowthai recorded the song for his second album, Tron. There are 14 tracks, divided into two sections. The first seven find Slowthai rapping in an aggressive style, and the song titles, including "CANCELLED," are all capitalized. The second half finds the MC using a slower, more contemplative style, the subject matter more vulnerable and introspective, with the titles in lowercase.
• THE REST directed the video, which begins with Slowthai and Skepta and his producers parodying a '90s Budweiser advert. The rest of the clip draws on references to classic horror films, including American Psycho, Silence of The Lambs, Candyman, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.