As far as dynamic artists in the Nigerian music industry go, Skales is one who has never shied away from colourful messaging in his music. For his latest release, “Jogo,” he reaches into his well of experience with the bouncy, superfluous rhythms of the 2010s that shaped his expansive career. The result is a cheery single punctuated by pulsating piano keys and skittering percussion provided by the deft producer, Killertunes.
“Allow me to flex,” Skales voices on the hook amid chants from the backing choir. He adeptly wields his hip-hop origins as he slips into his signature sing-rap flow while revelling in the thrills of life. “Though we are going through a lot as a people and as a country, everyone knows the power of music to bring people together,” he says in a press statement. It is this sentiment that informs the vibrant, multicultural video directed by Stanz Visual.
The video continuously slips between references from Western and Northern Nigerian culture, incorporating rich traditional wear, masquerades, dancers, and drummers—all with a mission to emphasise the need for unity at all times.
“I’m someone that has spent a significant portion of my life in the north of Nigeria,” Skales explains. “Now I live in Lagos, so I have been exposed to these cultures and they’re very much a part of who I am as a person and an artist. It’s amazing to be able to pay homage like this and still pass the message of finding joy. That’s a very important part of why I make music.”
