Skales: I’ II Love to Work With Kanye West

Skales has upped his game since he got signed on to a new label. He has released several singles and videos. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, he talks about his career, a forth coming album and challenges

What inspired my new single

A couple of weeks ago, I was in Ghana for a pan, African tour with my team and at the same time I was working with a lot of Ghanaian artistes and producers too. I got into the studio with Dj Breezy and we were working on a couple of tracks and that’s how we made this song. There was no particular inspiration as it was just us working back to back and dropping different ideas. It’s called, ‘ I want you’ and it’s the first single off my sophomore album. I dropped the single and video at the same time. The video was directed by Unlimited LA. Now, it’s getting massive reception. You know when people demand for you and you have to go. So that’s what it is basically. And there is more to come in May before my album drops and even when it does, I would be on tour.

With my new album, I’m raising a different point of view

This time around, I have different artistes on board. Not the usual ones I used to work with as it’s all different. The artistes on the new album are known names as I’m friends with most of them and I only do music with people I have chemistry with. That way, I can vibe easily. Either one way or the other, they have affected my life.  We don’t want to be telling the same story again and we want to switch it up. Like I said I’m still working on a lot of stuff form the album.

My dreams

I want to be a very strong internationally-known artiste and businessman at the same time because I have a whole lot of ideas I’m going to be selling very soon. That’s what I want Skales to be. I’m not just doing this for profit even though at the end of the day, I want to make profit. I do something I have passion for as it was more like a hobby that I do unconsciously; then I turned it to what I can benefit from profit-wise. If you are doing something and you are in love with it then it’s perfect and I love doing this.

My New Label’s Good

Of course, every business has its ups and downs but definitely it’s been great. At the end, it’s just you knowing what you are there for. They are playing their part and you playing yours.

That’s all that matters and it’s been good so far as you can tell. I have been dropping singles. It wasn’t so with my other label. I have been in charge of my career.

I would love to work with Kanye West 

I would love to work with Kanye West, Chris Brown, Jay Z and a lot of people. One of the major reasons I haven’t done collabo is because I don’t believe in just doing it for doing sake; I believe there should be an impact. I don’t want to do it for hype because it’s going to die in one or two weeks then people move on. I’m trying to do this for something that will attract attention from other countries and continents.

I have everything balanced already

I feel like Skales has taken over everything as my whole life depends on Skales. Nothing different as it’s just the same me at home and everywhere.

About my fans and social media

The truth is that I have got to a point where my music is more than a hobby. It is business and the fans play a major role like they inspire me a lot; like what I hear from them when I put out music and the comments I get inspire me for the next music I put out. For now, I am still in the process of creating a strong relationship that makes me very accessible to the fans as you aren’t making this music for yourself to listen to, but rather for them.

I Love good things

Whether it’s Nigerian or American, I just go for things that are attractive and people are like ‘where did you get this from.’ I’m more of the urban youth style.

My regret

I should not have allowed anyone make decisions or direct me. I should have been the one doing the directing. This is what I’m doing now. So, I’m right now doing that and making decisions as well as reaching out to my team on what they think and their ideas too.  I don’t even spend as much on my clothes like I do for my studio. I’m talking about softwares and upgrading this and that.

Timaya is my homie

Timaya is my homie. Apart from the fact that we chill out all the time, we make music and act on each other’s music making suggestions. Like the last single he dropped, ‘I concur’ I was the one that suggested Don Jazzy and connected the whole thing. He has done pretty much for me too and when I play my songs for him he suggests I do this or that. I really don’t do much collabos with artistes because I have just few friends and I work with a lot of producers like Killa Tunes, Jay Pizzle, Spellz and those are people I have chemistry with.

I have five tattoos

One is the Phillipians 2yrs. It was the first memory verse I had in my head because they kept repeating it for me and I had it in my head. And the second one is what Skales is actually is – speakers, cassette and it’s the music.

The third is my ideas for life. They are my guide lines for life where I have God first, ambition, success, love, loyalty and a lot of things. I think I have like six. Also I have my mum’s name signifying the whole connection. Right now, the name I have on me isn’t my name but I have plans in the future to change it to it.

My educational background 

I did my primary school in Kaduna; can’t really remember the name as I went to different primary schools switching anyhow.

Then I finally graduated at St Michaels Secondary School.

I went to University of Jos in 2007 and after like two-three years I dropped out because I moved to Lagos and it wasn’t easy going back and forth. I was studying Banking and Finance then when I signed to EME. I went back to the university again which was Lead City, Ibadan where I was studying office management before I switched to Business administration then obtained a degree in that.

My Love Life

I’m just there as I’m in the middle. For now, I would just put it this way: What is more important is the music.  They make this whole thing move faster and easier. So, basically, I reach out to them as much as I reach out to every other person.