Dax Man I Used to Be Review: Lyrics and Meaning

Man I Used to Be sees Dax continue his ongoing conversation about men’s mental and emotional health.

While this release carries a tonal shift from some of his recent work, it still delivers a poignant and familiar message.

Released on August 8, 2025, the track pairs heartfelt storytelling with acoustic-driven production from Jimmy Robbins, blending melodic rap with gospel undertones.

It’s the sound of someone choosing to shed what no longer serves them, and daring you to do the same.

The first words hit with a simple truth: “I’m half the man I used to be / It’s gon’ take some getting used to me.”

This isn’t the flex-heavy rap Dax could easily deliver. Instead, it strips back to focus on faith, healing, and leaving behind heartbreak, addictions, and what he calls “generational curses.”

His delivery shifts between quiet reflection and preacher-like conviction, giving the song the feeling of a late-night drive that ends at sunrise in a pew.

The music video tells a story that isn’t solely Dax’s, but one that many men can recognise.

It follows a group walking a rural path toward a church, suggesting a collective journey toward purpose and redemption.

Between these scenes, there are moments of solitude, quiet decision-making, and symbolic departures, including leaving behind a partner who represents comfort but also compromise.

The pacing and framing give the visuals a meditative quality, reinforcing the message of stepping away from the man you were toward the one you need to become.

Production choices are minimal but purposeful. Robbins’ guitar line runs like a steady pulse, while the mix leaves space for Dax’s vocal to lead.

When the beat swells, it’s not to overpower but to lift the verse, underlining the song’s spiritual inflections.

The result is a track you can nod along to or sit with in stillness, one that stays with you after it ends.

Man I Used to Be feels like a checkpoint in Dax’s catalogue, where growth is not just claimed but demonstrated.

He’s not pretending the old self never existed; he’s simply no longer chained to it.

Full Man I Used To Be Lyrics From Dax

Chorus
I’m half the man I used to be
It’s gon’ take some getting used to me
I used to think I had it all
But when you’re up all you do is fall
And that’s why I’m
Half the man I used to be

Verse 1
Trials and tribulations, all my past trauma
Generational curses from daddy and mama
Heartbreak and lies, dirty soul ties
Mixed with addictions that clouded my eyes
I’ve been mistaken and taken for granted
And locked in the prison that I call my mind
And now that I’ve lived and I’ve learned
And I’ve built and I’ve burned all these bridges I’ll leave it behind
And that’s why

Verse 2
Don’t ask the reason I changed
Ask yourself why you stayed the same
I couldn’t sleep in that bed I made
I needed more in life
I tried every remedy prescribed
Getting drunk every night
Letting women waste my time
Now I’m in a phase I can sleep alone
I don’t ever chase, I got God
Letting go of pain that was never mine
Trying to bear the weights
Not my job
Cause that’s the man i used to be
And he ain’t no use to me

Chorus
I’m half the man I used to be
It’s gon’ take some getting used to me
I used to think I had it all
But when you’re up all you do is fall
And that’s why I’m
Half the man I used to be
I’m half the man I used to be
It’s gon’ take some getting used to me
I used to think I had it all
But when you’re up all you do is fall
And that’s why I’m
Half the man I used to be