Following years of writing raps, Nigerian Skales found fame after winning the North Central leg of Zain’s Tru Search talent competition in 2008. He would later set up base in Lagos, partnering with record label EME. It would be Man of the Year, the rapper’s 2015 debut, that revealed Skales’ propensity for folding diverse musical styles into hip-hop. For the Kaduna-bred artist born Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, this album represented an era of rebirth.
“I made this album at the lowest point of my life; I was having label issues and a lot of setbacks,” he tells Apple Music. “The songs I made were a way of encouraging myself, but it turned out that they were also giving hope to others.” It was through uplifting lyrics and bridging sounds that Skales attained this relatability, referencing dancehall on “I Am for Real,” fuji on “Ijo Ayo,” and electro on “Fa Ra We Mi” and wrapping Afro-house into the Uhuru-produced “Lo Le” whilst delivering the Afrobeats hit “Shake Body.”
With its rags-to-riches aura and traversing of hip-hop, house, and traditional African rhythms, Man of the Year had a little something for everyone, proven through both its longevity and its stellar guestlist, which includes Burna Boy, Victoria Kimani, Davido, Rotimi, Numerica, Reekado Banks, Olamide, Phyno, Ice Prince, and Kenny Wonder. “It’s still surreal,” Skales says, “that it’s years after and it’s still rocking everywhere.”