Songfacts®:

• After North London rapper Clavish released his debut single "All These Funds" in 2018, he garnered notoriety through his freestyles, such as 2019's "100MPH Freestyle," and features on tracks by the likes of Nines and Fredo. By 2022, critics had him down as one of the best of the up-and-coming rappers.
  
  After Clavish previewed "Public Figure" on TikTok, it generated plenty of hype and fans pleaded for its release. When he finally dropped it on September 22, 2022, it entered the UK singles chart the following week.
• Clavish raps throughout the song about the dissonance between his old life on the streets and his new public persona.
  
  I know I'm an artist, but if I see three numbers, know I'm spinnin' the coupe
  Public figure, really done hittins
  
  Out of force of habit, Clavish still makes a swift exit if he sees the police responding to a 999 call.
• Make No Beats created the cinematic drill instrumental. The Sheffield producer's other credits include Digga D's "Plugged In Freestyle" and DPK C.R.N.L 's "Bully's Drill."
• The Toxic-directed video shows Clavish spitting his bars, surrounded by his friends in the streets.