NET EXCLUSIVE: Skales lands N200m record deal with billionaire businessman

By Dayo Showemimo
Skales now calls Baseline Music 'home'.
Since his departure from E.M.E early in the year,Raoul Njeng-Njengaka'Skales'has been on a roller coaster ride.
First he unveiled his own record label, then he dropped a couple of chart topping singles, got signed on to a new record label, acquired a new car and he's preparing to drop his elusive debut album in November 2014.
Well, here's the real story of his new mouth watering record deal with Baseline Records, according to investigations by Nigerian Entertainment Today.
The first advantage of his deal is the fact that despite being signed on to Baseline, led by industry veteransHowie TandDipo Abdul, Skales gets to still maintain control and leadership of his own label OHK records, where he nurtures and grooms fast rising acts and producers.
And we've been reliably told his Baseline deal is worth nearly N200m. An industry source familiar with the details of his contract told this newspaper the terms ensure he gets a brand new car, a house, cash advance, and upkeep allowance, all totalling about N200m.
It's the most expensive recording deal in the industry, and a huge surprise, considering the hard times labels and marketers are facing, and the flight of investment from labels.
But Baseline has deep pockets, according to those who know. And, following Howie T and other consultants' guidance, it appears they are ready to shake things up.
The label did not confirm the figures, with Howie saying'I cannot give you any specific figure because we don't want other artistes to start running to us, however what I can tell you is that the deal is worth hundreds of millions. It includes his new car, new house and total lifestyle package. We are changing his whole lifestyle'
'Skales will be at the NEA awards in New York at the end of the month, after that he's going to London for a concert, and then to Canada on a tour,[then]he'll drop his album in November.So you see it's a total package, we don't want to create any form of distraction by revealing any figures, but trust me it's a huge deal, it's about the biggest deal in the industry at the moment.'
Baseline is owned by one of Kessington Adebutu's sons but totally run by Howie T and Dipo Abdul of KISS Group.
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