Here are the Smino songs you need to hear in 2023

Alias include: Smi, Smeezy, Smino Grigio, and Smilon Musk

Self-care at its finest; the cover of 2022’s, ‘Luv 4 Rent’“

“A good mood starts with a good fit” — Christopher Bjorn Smith Jr. (Smino)

Active since 2009, the rapper and singer known as Smino hails from St Louis, Missouri, ( the ‘Lou’), making the rounds in hip-hop this year with his October 28th release Luv 4 Rent.

But what sounds influenced Smino? When will Smino be on tour so I can see him live? Which songs are worth the listen? As we understand the artist known as Smino and explore his artistry, all questions will be answered.

Welcome to Discography 101: Smino, “Sminology 101”.

Christopher Bjorn Smith Jr. grew up in a musical home. His grandfather (affectionately known as ‘Pop-Pop’) was a bassist for Muddy Waters. His father played the piano, and Sunday church was a regular occurrence for the Smith family. Smino started playing the drums, sparking a lifelong interest in music.

From a young age, Smino was exposed to the sounds of jazz, rock, gospel, and eventually, hip-hop. And after a stint at Colombia College Chicago — marketing being his preferred subject — Smino moved to Chicago to rise in the local scene.

With his producer Monte Booker by his side, Smino worked on his flows and singing and eventually released two consecutive EP’s: S!CK, S!CKC, S!CK, and BlkJuptr, released from 2015–2016. Local competitors were blown away.

Forming several rap collectives and groups with artists such as Noname, Saba, and Jean Deaux, Smino made it a habit to collab with the rising talent around him. In 2017 we got blkswn. In 2018, NOIR. And now in 2022, Luv 4 Rent. Not to mention the bevy of singles, features, and a mixtape released between albums; a consistent quality from the Zero Fatigue head honcho.

“No one has ever set one tone for what the Midwest looks like — and I think that’s kind of fly” (interview by Glynn Pogue)

He worked with diverse talent, rapped over distinct sonics, and launched and marketed his own clothing brand. Smino defines what the Midwest-rap scene is through the lens of his experiences, and that makes him one of the unique voices to come out of 2010s hip-hop.

Here is a sample of some of his greatest hits.

Kajun — ft. Jean Deaux & Phoelix (2016)

• Starting us off with some hums and harmonies, Kajun is a feel-good song with a chicken aesthetic. Favourite bars: “Drive thru, lemme serve you / Serve you up, lift your skirt / Swerve your curves, hit the herbs”
• The piano’s opening chords hit us with a calming atmosphere — god damn. Smino’s flows complement the backing track, and when Jean Deaux hits us with vocals to sync with Smino’s harmonies, the track becomes lush. For a song about chicken and herbs, it's a harmonious tune about looking around and seeing others that don’t show respect for another's journey. Smino and Jean Deaux just want to do what they like, without the input of others.

Blkjuptr (2016)

• The chorus makes me want to look to the sky and belt along with it. Favourite bars: “Uber to Jupiter / Roll up a Vega / its, lit up like Vegas / this subaru”
• The beat is dreamy, with lush guitar mixed in, and a dynamic jingle in the backing track that settles in sync with the bass by the time we get to the chorus. Eventually, we are blasting off into the stars, spending time in space with Smino and hearing what he has to say. You can hear Smino hone his flows and his singing capabilities here. It's a meditation for Smino, making sense of the ambition and musical talent he was born into. What will he create when not crying on those Versace pillows? The listener is left to ponder. Blackness is the main theme here. Blacking out, being built like a blackberry, having black skin and a black queen — this song is a clear celebration of Smino’s blackness. This is important to understanding who he is as an artist, especially moving forward into his first LP, “Blkswn”

Amphetamine (2017)

• Favourite Bars: “Grandaddy spittin, ain’t nothing new bout the system / ’Cause how they do me they did him / Appropriating the fellas / Sucking the fruit from my elders / Don’t give a Chuck bout no Berry / They rather listen to Elvis”
• A song about addiction and overcoming, Amphetamine is a song loved among Smino’s fans, and for good reason. Complex in its message, Smino discusses what addiction means to him: it grabs ahold of him in the night despite his fight. But why does he turn to addiction? Is it the “culture vultures” of white culture, those who left Chuck Berry for Elvis and the sounds he pirated from black musicians? Is it the rats that are trying to get close to Smino and his money? Amphetamine is the longest track off the album “blkswn”, contrasting nicely with the first track on the album Wild Irish Roses, in which Smino connects drugs to love. Now he connects drugs to his stresses, the stresses of his collaborators on the back half of the song (Krash Kourse), and, largely, the stresses of Black people and their experience in America. To Smino, against the onslaught of culture vultures, he stands as a blkswn and proud.

Kovert (2018)

• Flows that glide over the sonics as if they were skating over ice. Favourite bars: “Drip drop on my flip flops, you can’t find these flip flops, these hoes from Shibuya”
• Noir. The title of the album sets a cool tone as it is spoken by Jean Deaux. I’m a sucker for Smino openers overall, but this one starts the album off right. The tapping rhythms that will appear on KLINK are a nice touch as well, combined with that gentle piano to create a laidback atmosphere. A slice of Smino’s life as he relaxes with his boo and smokes up, this album revolves around these little moments that define the rapper's life. It is the life of Smino, A smooth transition that journeys into more bass-heavy vibes, but with that same cool piano. Sublime.

Z4L — Smino, Bari, & Jay2 (2018)

• Favourite bars: “ Green diamonds in my charm, that’s a frozen salad / Neck on vegan, freezing, check my color palette, white like a bunny wabbit”
• A real banger of a cut, this song is where Noir shines with its production, chorus’, and guest features. Jay2 has a killer verse, and I definitely was left wanting to hear more. His flows are immaculate and match Smino in the beat. The sonics are bouncy and reminds me of those late-night drives to Mcdonald's, where the car is filled with hard-hitting bass and entertaining sound effects (pew!)

Pro Freak — Smino, Doechii & Fatman Scoop (2022)

• Favourite bars: “She’s a pro freak, Angelina like Jolie / Santeria, white beau sheep, purified and her soul clean / I need her, no quittin’, no Quentin Tarantino” (Really the entire Doechii verse)
• Lyricism is great in this one all around. As many have taken notice of, the feature from Doechii is excellent; her flows and linkage of lyrics are insane and inspiring. Warm and inviting strings make Pro Freak a cut for the summer with a simplistic beat that gains bits of complexity in the lead-up to the chorus. Pro Freak doesn’t stay on one idea for long. The Traci Young-Byron sample is a great touch. Ding Ding! Boxing match over. The back half gives Smino time to shine and show off his dynamic vocal work. Here, the beat takes the energy down a notch with piano keys, rising synths, and a space-esque whirring sound that is hard to pin down.

Curtains (2022)

• Favourite bars: “Talkin’ karate ‘bout me I just chuckle at the nunchuck, you dumb fucks lucky / I bought the big ol’ body with the pretty wheels / Riding with the ones from when it was ugly”
• It’s a song about finding the love within yourself, and the answers and validation flooding out from within. For Smino, who has begun his inner journey, by keeping himself and the others around him true to his cause he can continue pushing forward with inspiration and love. An ending voicemail from his grandfather reaffirms what Smino is feeling about himself, mainly that he draws people closer to him and shares his energy. Before the track closes off, his little cousin returns with a song. A great way to lead into the “Lee & Lovie”. Smino is apparently excited to perform this one live — no doubt it will be a good time on the upcoming tour.

I Deserve — ft. NOS (2021)

• The rotor scope sound going back and forth, in the beginning, eases us in with (Favourite bars): “lbs in the trash can, gucci do the dishes, ain’t nobody nobody fuck with my kitchen”
• The piano chords, mixing major and minor, create a melancholic tone at the same time optimistic — along with the stove sound effect to the lighting of his blunt mid-verse. The flows and verses are insightful to what is going on in Smino’s head — he lost someone, and how Smino is going to handle that loss. Not by being entirely submerged in grief, but by looking for those sparks of joy. As a side note, this song got me through my own period of loss. After one too many gym sessions (with or without some herb), this was a very relatable track for me. Sidebar, the references to Friday are great.

Trina (2019)

• Favourite Bars: “Stay off my grass like Stanley / Threw me cheeks on the beach, she sandy”
• Another feel-good track dedicated to the rap legend Trina, Trick Daddy, and Friday (again), Trina is a window into the cultural landscape Smino knows and enjoys. An addictive beat, Friday samples, the whole works — the funky sample connects with booming drums that make this track just a lot of fun.

Leven Kali — Homegirl (ft. Smino and Topaz Jones) (2020)

• Favourite bars: “Look, although I know plenty guys that would be incentivized / By grippin’ on tender thighs, it’s makin’ the denim cry /
  Set my eyes on the lessons of prize to accessorize / ’Cause we’d rather separate lives than separate ties”
• Holy crap, what a catchy tune with a catchy chorus courtesy of Leven Kali. This time an intersection between rap, funk, and soul — electro-funk — the song features Topaz Jones and Smino dropping some really good features — Smino’s flows well and has his signature swagger to it, while Topaz Jones makes his feature more pronounced (similar to Toothache). You can hear some of the DNA for this track in Captain Rock — Cosmic Blast

The above set of tracks doesn’t even touch on S.A.D (She Already Decided), a mixtape Smino dropped in the midst of the pandemic. A worthwhile mix of old beats and new that are filled with that Smino charm.

There is a whole trove of songs and collaborations to discover before Smino heads out with JID on the Luv 4 Ever tour in January.

The artists have collaborated on singles such as Baguetti, and larger projects such as Revenge of the Dreamers (1993, Sacrifices); both share strong connections to J-Cole as a collaborator, mentor, and friend. Here’s hoping the appears on tour with them in Toronto + Montreal (as per “You n***** ain’t ever gon’ see me, I might as well be in Canada” — 90 Proof). Smino and JID are an ideal duo with a proven track record together, and are sure to put on quite a show.

So that’s Smino, what’s been-what’s now-what’s next. See you, Luv 4 Ever.