Dax

Daniel Nwosu Jr., known professionally as Dax, is a Nigerian-Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter born on March 22, 1994, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Growing up in Ottawa, Dax later moved to Wichita, Kansas, to attend university and eventually settled in Los Angeles, California. His parents are Nigerian immigrants, and his upbringing was shaped by his diverse cultural background. Dax attended Casper College in Wyoming during the 2013-2014 academic year, where he played basketball, averaging 13.2 points per game. He later transferred to Newman University, where he continued to excel as a basketball player while working as a janitor to support himself. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for poetry, which eventually led him to pursue a career in music.

Dax began his music career in earnest in 2016 after receiving positive feedback from a basketball teammate about his poetry. He started promoting his music on SoundCloud and released his mixtape 2pac Reincarnation Vol 2: As Told By Dax in 2017. His breakthrough came with the release of the music video for “Cash Me Outside,” featuring Danielle Bregoli, which went viral and significantly boosted his profile.

In August 2018, Dax released his first extended play, It’s Different Now, which featured collaborations with notable rappers such as O.T. Genasis and Futuristic. His growing reputation in the hip-hop community led to a feature on Hopsin’s song “You Should’ve Known” in 2019. That same year, he joined Tech N9ne on the “It goes up” tour and later embarked on his first solo headlining tour, the “It’s Different Now Tour.”

Dax continued to gain momentum with the release of his 2020 EP, I’ll Say It for You, which included the controversial single “Dear God.” The EP was well-received, and he followed it up with collaborations with Tech N9ne and Trippie Redd on the singles “Faster” and “I Don’t Want Another Sorry,” respectively. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he released the single “Coronavirus (State Of Emergency)” in April 2020.

In July 2021, Dax released “Child of God,” a sequel to “Dear God,” and announced his debut studio album. The album’s lead single, “Propaganda,” featuring Tom Macdonald, achieved significant chart success. His debut album, Pain Paints Paintings, was released on October 15, 2021, through Living Legends Entertainment.

Dax’s 2022 single “Dear Alcohol,” which addresses the struggles of alcoholism, debuted at number 9 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and 28 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart. The song was certified Platinum by both the RIAA and Music Canada. He later released a country music remix of “Dear Alcohol” featuring Elle King, which expanded his audience and earned him a nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards. In October 2023, he released a remix of his song “To Be a Man” featuring Darius Rucker, which topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart.

In early 2024, Dax released the single “Narcissist” featuring Phix, and announced his participation as an opener for Joyner Lucas’s “Not Now I’m Busy” tour. Dax’s artistry is influenced by notable rappers such as Tupac, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Tech N9ne, Eminem, and Hopsin. His music often features introspective lyrics and addresses personal and societal issues, resonating with a broad audience and solidifying his place in the hip-hop scene.