Skales is uniquely placed at the center of Afropop’s overlapping thematic arcs. The singer has crafted some of Afropop's most famous bangers but continues to navigate the space with a heightened understanding that reflects his veteran status.
2020’s introspective Healing Process marked a dividing line in the rapper and singer’s career as he settled into a new phase of his career marked by self-appreciation, healing, and love after using the pandemic era project to critically examine the trade-offs and choices that had helped him become a fixture of Nigerian popular music over a two-decade span where he went from boy wonder to icon in his own right.
2024 has been an especially successful year for the singer whose song, “Jogo,” from earlier in the year has been one of the most widely rotated.
Produced by Killertunes, “Jogo,” played out over a manicured blend of skittering percussions and throbbing piano keys that accentuate Skales’ breezy flow.
It’s a useful thesis in dexterously placing the personal within the context of wider life and urging a reset amidst the stress of life.
Closing out his year with more joyful energy, Skales is releasing “In My Cup,” a collaboration with American rapper, Ace Hood, that reverberates with the pulse of the celebratory era that Skales is firmly in.
On “In My Cup,” the thesis is the ephemerality of life as the singer urges his listeners to enjoy life as best as possible at any opportunity presented.
Using a sung-rap flow, Skales glides over the instrumental before setting up the stage for Ace Hood to deliver a verse about the delights of life at the peak of careers while referencing the multitude of feelings they feel.
Speaking of how the song came about, Skales says that it happened after meeting Ace Hood by chance while in Dubai.
“We had a room next to us each other but we didn’t realise until we got to the club and Ace heard a number of my records that night,” Skales explains.
“When we got back, we decided to make a record together and that’s how this song came about. It’s all about having a good time and being thankful for the blessings that we have.”
About Skales
Very few people can stake a claim to being a part of Afrobeats’ history like Skales can. The rapper, singer, and songwriter has been present at every stage of the genre’s evolution from local hybridization of hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall to a global sensation.
Born Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, Skales started making music as a teenager in Kaduna state in Northern Nigeria. As a teenager determined to make a mark on the music scene, he collaborated with Jos music stars like Jesse Jagz and Jeremiah Gyang and won the North Central region arm of Zain’s Tru Search competition.
Eager to kickstart his mainstream career, Skales moved to Lagos and signed a deal with the Banky W-led record label, Empire Mates Entertainment, in 2009.
Under the record label, Skales morphed into a superstar alongside fellow signee, Wizkid. He collaborated with a number of the label’s acts on their 2012 compilation album, Empire Mates State of Mind. After a stint with Empire Mates Entertainment, Skales established his record label, OHK Music, in 2014.
Beginning from the release of his 2014 hit single, “Shake Body,” Skales emerged as one of Afropop’s most dexterous hitmakers, ushering the evolving genre into a dance-led era that birthed commercially successful albums like Man of The Year, The Never Say Never Guy, and Mr Love.
In 2020, he released an introspective project, Healing Process, defined by the lonesome soundscape of the pandemic as he reflected on topics like self-appreciation, healing, and love while critically examining the trade-offs and choices that had helped him become a fixture of Nigerian popular music over a two-decade span.
Stream 'In My Cup' HERE.
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