Born as "Raoul John Njeng-Njeng," Skales is a Nigerian rapper whose career includes collaborations with artists like Akon, Jeremiah Gyang, Jesse Jagz, and Wizkid. He was born on April 1, 1991, in Kaduna State, Nigeria, and raised by a single mother who owned a cassette store. Those cassettes left a mark on Skales, who developed a healthy interest in music at a young age. After graduating from the University of Jos, he began focusing on his entertainment career, with "Must Shine" marking his debut single as Skales (an acronym for "Seek Knowledge Acquire Large Entrepreneurial Skills") in 2009. Championed by the Nigerian rapper Banky W., he partnered with the record company Empire Mates Entertainment and appeared on the label's compilation album, Empire Mates State of Mind, in 2012. The album's lead single, "Baddest Boy," found Skales rapping alongside Banky W. and Wizkid and was later nominated for "Best Collabo" at The Headies in 2013. Skales toured internationally with the Empire Mates Entertainment roster and made his solo debut several years later with 2015's Man of the Year, which produced the singles "Shake Body," "Je Kan Mo," and "Always." A second album, The Never Say Never Guy, was released in 2017, followed by Skales' third record, Mr Love, in 2018.