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Reason to Smile
Studio album by Kojey Radical
Released	4 March 2022
Genre	British hip hop gospel R&B
Length	52:20
Label	Asylum Atlantic
Kojey Radical chronology
Cashmere Tears (2019) Reason to Smile (2022)
Singles from Reason to Smile
"War Outside" Released: 23 September 2021 "Gangsta" Released: 15 November 2021 "Payback" Released: 15 January 2022 "Silk" Released: 18 February 2022

Reason to Smile is the debut studio album by British rapper Kojey Radical, released 4 March 2022 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize and nominated for Album of the Year at the 2022 MOBO Awards.

Background

The album was preceded by four singles: "War Outside" released 23 September 2021; "Gangsta" released 15 November; "Payback" released 15 January 2022; and "Silk" released 18 February. The first three came along with music videos while "Silk" received an official visualiser. Another video for "Talkin" released 9 March, featuring animated versions of Radical and the song's guests Tiana Major9 and Kelis.

Reception

Reason to Smile ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	8.0/10
Metacritic	81/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10
DIY
Financial Times
The Guardian
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
Loud and Quiet	9/10
NME

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Reason to Smile received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. "Payback" was included at number 9 on BBC Music's list of the best songs of the year.

Accolades

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kwadwo Adu Genfi Amponsah with others noted

1. ^ Additional producer

Personnel

Musicians

• Kojey Radical – vocals
• Cameron Palmer – synth bass (2, 5, 10), piano (5, 8), keyboards (10, 13), organ (8), synthesizer (8), Rhodes solo (8), guitar (10), Wurlitzer (11)
• Kwame "KZ" Kwei-Armah Jr. – additional vocals (1, 3, 6, 10), synthesizer (2, 13), piano (1), Rhodes solo (2), piano (7), bass (8), guitar (8), synth bass (9), whistling (9)
• Tiana Major9 – vocals (1, 8)
• Masego – vocals (4)
• Shaé Universe – vocals (5)
• Cashh – vocals (6)
• Kelis – vocals (8)
• Lex Amor – vocals (9)
• Knucks – vocals (10)
• Shakka – vocals (12)
• Wretch 32 – vocals (12), additional vocals (8)
• Ego Ella May – vocals (13), additional vocals (9)
• Rexx Life Raj – vocals (14)
• Ayanna Christie Brown – additional vocals (2, 10)
• Emmavie – additional vocals (2, 10)
• Michael Stafford – additional vocals (2, 10)

• Christina Matovu – additional vocals (4, 7, 12, 15)
• Mundu – additional vocals (4, 14)
• Bobii Lewis – additional vocals (6)
• Benjamin Totten – guitar (1, 11)
• David Mrakpor – guitar, keyboards, synth bass (4)
• Rashaan Brown – guitar (6)
• Greg Mathews – guitar (8)
• Femi Koleoso – drums (1, 5)
• Namali Kwaten – drums, percussion (4)
• Dayna Fisher – bass guitar (6, 7, 11, 15), trombone (1)
• Neil Waters – trumpet (1–4, 10, 15), flugelhorn (4, 5, 11)
• Trevor Mires – trombone (2–4, 6–8, 10, 13, 15), sousaphone (7, 10), bass trombone (13)
• Charlie Stock and Stella Page – viola (1, 2, 4, 6–8, 12, 13, 15)
• Ezme Gaze and Wayne Urquhart – cello (1, 2, 4, 6–8, 12, 13, 15)
• Antonia Pagulatos, Emma Blanco, Marsha Skins, and Sam Kennedy – violin (1, 2, 4, 6–8, 12, 13, 15)
• Nathan "Flutebox" Lee – flute (2)
• Mike Keys – keyboards (9), piano, synth bass (13)
• Ed Thomas – piano (15)

Technical

• Cameron Palmer – engineering (1, 2, 5, 7–10, 13, 15), drum programming (2, 5, 9, 10, 13)
• Kwame "KZ" Kwei-Armah Jr. – executive producer, engineering (1, 2, 6–9, 11–15), drum programming (6, 8, 9), vocal arrangements (13)
• Swindle – executive producer
• Stuart Hawkes – mastering engineer (1–9, 11–14)
• Joker – mixing engineer (1–8, 10–14)
• Neil Waters – string arrangements (1, 2, 4, 6–8, 12, 13, 15)
• Namali Kwaten – drum programming (4), sound design (4)
• Blue Lab Beats – engineering (4)
• Jay Weathers – drum programming (15)

Charts

References

1. ^ Smith, Niall (4 March 2022). "Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile". Clash. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
2. ^ Grice, Alisdair. "Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile review". DIY. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
3. ^ Morris, Kadish (13 March 2022). "Kojey Radical: Reason to Smile review – an era-defining Black British work". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
4. Smith, Niall (23 September 2021). "Kojey Radical Enlists Lex Amor for Battle-Ready Jam "War Outside"". Complex. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
5. Smith, Niall (15 November 2021). "Kojey Radical's "Gangsta" Is an Ode to the Special Women in His Life". Complex. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
6. Keith, James (15 January 2022). "Kojey Radical Calls on Knucks for New Album Primer "Payback"". Complex. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
7. Kenneally, Cerys (18 February 2022). "Kojey Radical teams up with Masego on new single "Silk"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
8. Cho, Regina (9 March 2022). "Kojey Radical, Kelis, and Tiana Major9 are "Talkin'" in new visual". Revolt. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
9. "Reason to Smile by Kojey Radical reviews". AnyDecentMusic. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
10. ^ "Reason to Smile by Kojey Radical Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
11. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (11 March 2022). "Kojey Radical's Reason to Smile — a family affair". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
12. Ferrier, Aimee (10 March 2022). "Kojey Radical's debut Reason to Smile drips with infectious confidence and celebration". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
13. Goggins, Joe (28 February 2022). "Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
14. Williams, Kyann-Sian (4 March 2022). "Kojey Radical – Reason to Smile review: UK rap's Renaissance man comes good". NME. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
15. Savage, Mark (30 December 2022). "From Rosalía to Beyoncé: 25 of the best songs released in 2022". BBC Music. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
16. Singh, Surej (26 July 2022). "Mercury Prize 2022 shortlist revealed". NME. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
17. "GRM Daily Rated Awards 2022: Full Winners List". Capital Xtra. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
18. Rackham, Annabel (11 November 2022). "MOBOs 2022: Rapper and producer Knucks leads nominations". BBC. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
19. Waters, Lowenna (2 December 2022). "MOBO Awards 2022: Full winners list including Little Simz and Ezra Collective". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
20. Smith, Niall (12 December 2022). "Clash Albums of the Year 2022". Clash. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
21. Condon, Dan (6 December 2022). "The 50 best albums of 2022". Double J. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
22. Williams, Kyann-Sian (9 December 2022). "The 50 best albums of 2022". NME. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
23. Morgan, Tom (6 December 2022). "The 80 Best Albums of 2022". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
24. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
25. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 July 2022.

• 2022 debut albums
• Kojey Radical albums
• Asylum Records albums
• Atlantic Records albums