There are artists who stay in their lane, and then there are artists who decide the lane was never big enough. Dluxx has spent the last few years building a reputation as a smooth Afropop and Afrofusion voice — the kind that glides over melodic production and lands comfortably in the R&B-adjacent space. "Not Pride Just Scars" is not that. It's a hard left turn into Hip-Hop/Rap, and the shift is intentional.
I came across this album while listening to Audiomack's top charts of the week. I was at my place of work when it came on, and it uplifted me. I couldn't just keep it to myself — I had to share it with my people here. The first thing that hits you is the tone. There's no warmth here. The beat is sparse, the drums hit harder than anything in Dluxx's recent catalog, and the vocal delivery is clipped and direct. This isn't a song built for the club. It's built for the mirror. The title tells you everything. "Not Pride Just Scars" frames the record as a statement of survival rather than triumph. Where his earlier singles like "Rock Your Body" leaned into infectious rhythm and soulful energy, this track strips that away and leaves the weight exposed. If you're expecting the melodic Dluxx from the Elevation EP or Love In The Trenches, you won't find him here. That's the point.
Production-wise, the arrangement is lean. No overstuffed layers, no glossy Afrofusion polish. The drums carry the record, and the space around them is deliberate. Dluxx's delivery sits somewhere between rapping and spoken-word — conversational in tone but weighted with intent. It's the kind of performance that rewards close listening because the emotion is in the restraint, not the volume. It's a bold move for an artist whose brand has been built on smooth Afropop. Whether it lands depends on how willing his existing audience is to follow him into darker territory. But it's also a clear signal: Dluxx wants to be seen as more than a vibes artist.
Dluxx, whose real name is David Iloka, is originally from Enugu State. His journey into music started young — he was a drummer in school and formed a boy band with friends before pursuing music seriously. His early years were shaped by time spent in Ajegunle, a neighborhood he describes as tough, and rap sessions at Surulere Grammar School where he wrote rhymes and freestyled with other artists. He officially launched his career on July 7, 2020, with the single "Dutty Vibe," which caught early buzz online. From there, he released "Ohema," then an EP titled Elevation. By 2022, he had linked with South East artist De Party Animal for "Gbetiti," and his management situation had evolved with Accolades, fronted by Nnabuife Caleb (K-Legal). His sound has been described as a blend of Afropop, Afrofusion, R&B, and Afro. That description fits almost everything else in his catalog. "Not Pride Just Scars" is the outlier — and that's what makes it worth talking about.
The track was released on September 25, 2026, uploaded by Dluxx's verified Audiomack account. It's tagged as Hip-Hop/Rap, a departure from his artist profile genre of Afrosounds. The copyright line reads Dluxx/Effectdistro. Within its first day, the track pulled 1.18 million total plays, 151 likes, and 9 re-ups.
That play count is notable. For context, Dluxx's account at the time of my listening sat at roughly 1.41 million total account plays across his entire discography. A single track pulling 1.18 million in its first day suggests either significant algorithmic push, a viral moment, or a paid promotional campaign. I can't verify which from the data available. What I can say is that the number is disproportionate to his follower count of 4.48K and his monthly listener base, which raises questions about where the traffic is actually coming from.
"Not Pride Just Scars" is a risk that makes sense for where Dluxx is in his career. He's spent years building a catalog in one lane, and this track is him testing another. The Hip-Hop/Rap tag isn't just a genre label — it's a thesis statement. Whether the song itself holds up depends on what you're looking for. If you want the melodic, Afropop Dluxx, this will feel like a detour. If you want an artist showing range and refusing to be boxed in, it's a compelling listen. The production is focused, the delivery is intentional, and the title carries real weight.
Worth listening? Yes, if you want to hear a Nigerian Afropop artist stepping outside his comfort zone. No, if you're only here for the vibes.
Share it with a friend who knows what it means to carry scars, not pride.
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