# Man of the Year (album)

Man of the Year is the debut studio album by Nigerian recording artist Skales. It was released on 18 May 2015, through Baseline Music. The album features a blend of Afrobeats, hip hop, and R&B. Man of the Year was preceded by six singles.

## Background and promotion

Nigeria artist Skales began working on his debut studio album Man of the Year after signing with Baseline Music in 2014. The album's production took place over the course of several months, with Skales collaborating with various producers and guest artists to work on songs for the album. In anticipation of the album's release, Skales embarked on a promotional campaign that included the release of a documentary titled Road to MOTY, which provided fans with a behind-the-scenes. Man of the Year features six singles including the main hit, "Shake Body", released on 6 May 2014. The second and third singles, "I Am For Real" and "Je Kan Mo", were both released on 21 January 2015. The fourth single, "Always", was released on 13 May 2015, and followed by the fifth single, "Ijo Ayo", released on 15 May 2015.

## Critical reception

Man of the Year received negative reviews from critics. Ayomide Tayo's review of Man of the Year for Pulse Nigeria described the album as "bland and ordinary," falling short of expectations despite glimpses of potential. Tayo criticized the album’s lack of direction, thematic coherence, and compelling hits, stating, "Man of the Year was meant to be the final proof that Skales is a man who should be at the very top." The album received a rating of 2.5 out of 5, indicating an average effort. Music critic Emmanuel Daraloye reviewing for Nigerian magazine, The Lagos Review, he lamented the album's lack of standout tracks that could have elevated it beyond mediocrity. tooXclusive's Jim Donnett's review of Man of the Year praised Skales' resilience and musical versatility but noted the album felt "tiring and draggy" at points, relying heavily on production and guest features. While highlighting tracks like "Fa Ra We Mi" and "I Forget" for their depth and inspiration, he concluded that despite its flaws, the album showcased Skales as "musically savvy, lyrically skilled, [and a] badass rapper." The album received a rating of 3 out of 5. Wilfred Okiche of 360nobs reviewed Skales' Man of the Year as a formulaic and inconsistent album, showing fleeting promise but lacking personality and depth. While the first half offered enjoyable tracks like "I’m a Winner" and "Lo Le," the album quickly disintegrated into generic, uninspired material. He concluded, "At best, he can only hope for a more modest and fleeting title. Perhaps a man of the moment."

## Track listing

Notes
* "—" denotes a skit
Samples
* "OMG!" samples "Someone Out of Town" by Yuna

## Personnel

* Skales – primary artist
* Davido – featured artist
* Burna Boy – featured artist
* Ice Prince – featured artist
* Reekado Banks – featured artist
* Phyno – featured artist
* Capital FEMI – featured artist
* Rotimi – featured artist
* Olamide – featured artist
* Kenny Wonder – featured artist
* Olamide – featured artist
* Victoria Kimani – featured artist
* Numerica – featured artist
* Jay Pizzle – producer
* Drey Beatz – producer
* Kenny Wonder – producer
* Bobby Combz – producer
* Echo – producer
* TK – producer
* Spellz – producer
* Ganja Beatz – producer
* DJ Coublon – producer
* Orbeat – producer
* Uhuru – producer
* Unlimited L.A – video director
* Nathan Stanz – video director
* Fiokee – guitar
* Mikifa – guitar