| Reason to Smile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 March 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 52:20 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Kojey Radical chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Reason to Smile | ||||
| ||||
Reason to Smile is the debut studio album by British rapper Kojey Radical, released 4 March 2022 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. [2] [3] It was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize and nominated for Album of the Year at the 2022 MOBO Awards.
The album was preceded by four singles: "War Outside" released 23 September 2021; [4] "Gangsta" released 15 November; [5] "Payback" released 15 January 2022; [6] and "Silk" released 18 February. [7] 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. [8]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.0/10 [9] |
| Metacritic | 81/100 [10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 8/10 [1] |
| DIY |   [2] |
| Financial Times |  [11] |
| The Guardian | [3] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10 [12] |
| Loud and Quiet | 9/10 [13] |
| NME | [14] |
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. [10] "Payback" was included at number 9 on BBC Music 's list of the best songs of the year. [15]
| Year | Organisation | Award | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mercury Prize | — | Shortlisted | [16] |
| GRM Daily Rated Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated | [17] | |
| MOBO Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated | [18] [19] |
| Publication | # | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Clash | 22 | [20] |
| Double J | 22 | [21] |
| NME | 35 | [22] |
| PopMatters | 33 | [23] |
All tracks are written by Kwadwo Adu Genfi Amponsah with others noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Reason to Smile" (featuring Tiana Major9) |
|
| 3:04 |
| 2. | "Together" |
|
| 3:04 |
| 3. | "Nappy" |
|
| 2:16 |
| 4. | "Silk" (featuring Masego) |
|
| 3:58 |
| 5. | "Pressure" (featuring Shaé Universe) |
|
| 3:54 |
| 6. | "Born" (featuring Cashh) |
|
| 3:27 |
| 7. | "Pusher Man: BWI" |
|
| 4:51 |
| 8. | "Talkin" (featuring Kelis and Tiana Major9) |
|
| 2:57 |
| 9. | "War Outside" (featuring Lex Amor) |
|
| 3:57 |
| 10. | "Payback" (featuring Knucks) |
|
| 2:45 |
| 11. | "Fubu" |
|
| 3:05 |
| 12. | "Beautiful" (featuring Wretch 32 and Shakka) |
|
| 3:20 |
| 13. | "Anywhere" (featuring Ego Ella May) |
|
| 3:05 |
| 14. | "Solo" (featuring Rexx Life Raj) |
|
| 4:00 |
| 15. | "Gangsta" |
|
| 4:37 |
| Total length: | 52:20 | |||
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [24] | 11 |
| UK R&B Albums (OCC) [25] | 1 |
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