| "Crooked Smile" | ||||
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| Single by J. Cole featuring TLC | ||||
| from the album Born Sinner | ||||
| Released | June 4, 2013 | |||
| Studio | Premier (NYC) | |||
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| Length | 4:39 | |||
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| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | J. Cole | |||
| J. Cole singles chronology | ||||
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| TLC singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Crooked Smile" on YouTube | ||||
"Crooked Smile" is a song by American rapper and record producer J. Cole from his second studio album, Born Sinner (2013). Featuring a guest appearance from girl group TLC, the song includes additional vocals from Meleni Smith. It was produced by Cole, with co-production from Elite. Cole recruited TLC after coming up with the hook, going through a lengthy and strenuous recording process. After Cole previewed the song in October 2012, it was released for digital download in the United States by Roc Nation as the album's second single on June 4, 2013. A hip hop and R&B ballad with dance elements, it features a jazz groove and a sample of Jennifer Hudson's "No One Gonna Love You".
Lyrically, the song sees Cole encourage embracing one's flaws and self-acceptance. "Crooked Smile" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly praised Cole's lyricism. Reviewers focused on his authentic message and some highlighted the composition, while a few critics commended TLC's presence. The song peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100, alongside reaching number seven on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was awarded platinum and silver certifications in the United States and the United Kingdom by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI), respectively.
An accompanying music video was released in September 2013, which Sheldon Candis directed after Roc Nation phoned him and he met Cole at the Los Angeles International Airport. The music video depicts Cole as a marijuana dealer, and he celebrates his sister's birthday with their family until the Drug Enforcement Administration raid the house and kill her. This was intended as a tribute to the killing of Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones in a 2010 police raid, whose mother, Dominika Jones, was grateful for the scene. Cole performed "Crooked Smile" live with the Roots at the 2013 Philly 4th of July Jam, later singing it with TLC at that year's iHeartRadio Music Festival, smiling while rapping.