Kojey Radical Reasons to Smile Album review
The Hoxton artist’s debut album raises the bar
In a time where UK rap has come under increasing fire for a lack of originality (“the sun goes down”…), Kojey Radical’s debut album is a much-needed breath of fresh air. As I said in my piece about artists I’m looking forward to hearing from this year, Kojey Radical is an artist in the truest sense of the word. From the cinematography of his music videos to the precision of his lyricism, it’s clear that details are important to the Ghanaian-British musician. With an impressive album rollout that started with the release of the single, War Outside back in late 2021 and included meetups with fans across London and the rest of the UK, expectations were definitely high for the artist’s debut album. It’s safe to say he didn’t disappoint.
“I’m back baby” declares Kojey on the title track of the album, with the assurance of someone who knows that he’s dropped a classic. We’ve had to wait 3 years since the last project, Cashmere Tears, which featured hits such as Can’t Go Back as well as more somber tunes like Last Night. This project had a special place in my heart in year 13, I’m sure my friends remember me practically begging them to take it in. 3 years later, a lot has changed for me, Kojey (who is now a father), and the world in general, yet I feel like this new album resonates with me at this point in my life.
Reasons to Smile is a complete body of work, made up of 15 tracks that come together to tell a compelling story. Kojey’s album displays the full spectrum of the human experience, exploring issues such as the pressures that came with growing up in his neighbourhood and the importance of family, with his son and mother being key figures in the album. The Ghanaian-British artist doesn’t shy away from issues pertaining to race either, I am reminded of this lyric from his 2016 song, Kwame Nkrumah, “If I must be the radical don’t shoot me for a retweet”. True to his stage name and the iconic Ghanaian president Kojey is defiant in his celebration of blackness, with lyrics such as “Man, it feel good to be Black, there’s no comparison” while also highlighting how he believes we as a community can move forward, “Until we multiply Black wealth, fuck a statue”. The album is narrated by his mother, whose words expertly weave the threads of each song together seamlessly. Through her description of migrating to London from Ghana and Kojey’s school days, we get a deeper understanding of who the artist is and where he comes from. The closing track, Gangsta is a beautiful ode to his mother’s strength and continues the legacy of rappers honouring their mothers in song (think Tupac and Kanye). The tracks on the album flow so well together, with my personal favorite transitions being from Talkin to War Outside and from Solo to Gangsta — if you can’t be bothered to listen to the whole project at least enjoy those transitions. With production from frequent collaborators such as Swindle and KZ amongst others, the musicality of the album is top tier, with a diversity of styles that emphasize Kojey’s versatility. It’s clear how much time was dedicated to each track as the instrumentals serve as a perfect canvas for Kojey to paint a picture on with his lyricism — take War Outside for example, where the high pitched whistles in the intro along with the dark bassline riff contribute to the tense atmosphere he is describing in the song. Without a doubt, the captivating instrumentals will be taken to the next level with a live band (yes, I’m gassed for the London show).
I’d say that the album should be listened to in its entirety at least the first time round in order to get the full picture. Personally, there were some singles that have really grown me having heard them in the context of the whole album, a testament to the thought put into the project.
While chart rankings do not define the quality of a body of work, the fact that Reasons to Smile topped the R&B/Hip Hop Charts, as well as itunes, reiterates Kojey’s statement - “someone said I’m underrated, man that’s news to me”. After years of putting out consistently high-quality art, it’s amazing to see Kojey get the flowers he deserves on a mainstream level, with appearances on Soccer AM as well as working with the UFC.
In the midst of a world in turmoil, Kojey’s debut album certainly gives us a reason to smile.
Favourite bars:
“Got no time for the shade like a sundial”
“How can you talk about pen, when you can’t even finish that sentence”
“Poetry in motion, my pen look like a MAC-10”
“Wanna know why a brother flex so much? Got whips and chains in my history
“Stones in my time piece, please don’t watch face”
Favourite Tracks (hard to narrow it down):
Gangsta
War Outside
Together
Fubu
Silk
ETP Rating:
4.5/5
