Wichita-born rapper and songwriter Dax has dropped his brand-new single, “Man I Used To Be,” on August 1st, 2025. Produced in Nashville alongside hitmaker Jimmy Robbins, the track is a raw reflection of sobriety, change, and spiritual growth. It arrives as the centerpiece of a pivotal year for Dax, who promised himself he wouldn’t release new music until he’d gone six months alcohol-free. With his Lonely Dirt Road Tour kicking off this October, the single is a mission statement: music grounded in truth and designed to resonate with those navigating their own storms.
The song wastes no time in setting the tone. Opening with soft, slow guitar strums layered against a jittery, percussive shake, it builds a meditative, almost prayer-like atmosphere. Dax’s voice enters smooth and high, with the sobriety he’s held up, speaking to himself as much as to the listener. He sings this hard-hitting hook, “I’m half the man I used to be, it’s gon’ take some getting used to me,” confessing while coming out as a victory chant, showing vulnerability without losing strength.
As the verses unfold, the weight of his past comes into focus with generational trauma, heartbreak, addiction, and the mental prison he’s fought to escape. But the beauty lies in the transformation. Where earlier Dax might have leaned on bravado, here he leans into clarity, giving us honesty wrapped in melody. He sings, “Don’t ask the reason I changed, ask yourself why you stayed the same” cuts with refreshing bluntness, showing that growth isn’t just about healing but about accountability too.
Musically, it’s stripped-back yet immersive, letting the lyrics breathe while the rhythm keeps it catchy and replayable. It’s a personal record but feels communal, it’s music “for the people, spread by the people,” just as Dax himself frames it. Check out the music video on YouTube, and be led by him towards God and a higher destiny.
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Review by: Naomi Joan