Working with a wide array of producers -- including
Chris Stokes,
Jimmy Jam &
Terry Lewis, and
Brion James --
Smooth returned to recording in 1998 with
Reality. Unlike her first two records,
Reality tempers Smooth's hip-hop influences with urban soul, and the result is a seductive record that's equally funky and stylish. While the songwriting isn't always compelling, the producers give
Smooth a rich instrumental backdrop that allows her to emphasize her charisma, and the result is her best record to date. ~ Leo Stanley