Afrobeats singer Skales has shared his harrowing experience in police detention, revealing that he was arrested while standing up for his manager during a dispute with an unnamed billionaire.
In an interview with Zikoko media, the “Shake Body” crooner explained that the incident began when both he and his manager were arrested.
Although the police initially told him to leave, Skales refused, insisting he would not abandon his colleague. “I said, ‘How can you arrest my manager, and I’ll go home?’” he recalled.
The singer ended up spending the night in a cramped police cell, where fellow inmates recognised him and requested live performances of his hit songs “Shake Body” and “Emergency.” In exchange for singing, he was allowed to sleep on a mat — a rare comfort in the overcrowded cell where most detainees sleep on the bare floor.
“They showed me empathy,” Skales said. “One inmate even told me I didn’t deserve to be there. The boss even sang some lyrics from ‘Emergency’ and said if I performed, I could get a mat.”
Skales also reflected on the dire conditions in detention, pointing out that many inmates rely on external support to eat. “If your people don’t send money, you won’t eat,” he said.
Moved by the kindness he received, the singer said he returned after his release to buy food for the inmates. “I bought them lots of food and thanked them,” he added.