DJ Priice2X Sets The Right Mood With “Hanks Anuku”

Michael Chiedoziem Chukwudera

There’s something to be said about the way DJ Priice2X approaches records; it’s never just about the beat or the tempo, but about the feelings that the compositions give. On the title track of his latest two-pack single ”Hanks Anuku”, he takes that philosophy and distills it into a slow-burning groove that trades in frivolities for finesse. Where his previous outings have leaned on explosive percussion or genre-blending arrangements, “Hanks Anuku” thrives in its simplicity and serves as proof that Priice2X knows when to dial the energy down to let the vibe breathe.

The song opens with a soft, almost minimalistic vibe, the kind that instantly sinks into your shoulders and invites a head bop without demanding it. The rhythm is comfortable, and its arrangement is deceptively simple: a tight, rounded kick that keeps time, snares so subtle that they feel like whispers, and a low-end presence that cushions the entire composition. It’s an Afrobeats core at heart, but there’s an understated flexibility to the instrumental that makes it easy to imagine a rap verse riding its wave or a vocalist weaving melodies between its pockets.

What stands out here is Priice2X’s dexterity as a curator and sonic director. A lot of DJs-turned-creators are tempted to fill every available space with flourishes, but “Hanks Anuku” is built on the absence of that. Each element is designed to serve a purpose, with an intentional sparseness that leaves room for mood and imagination. He understands that groove doesn’t always need to be intense to be effective. The record finds its charm in providing just enough movement to keep you swaying and just enough texture to keep your ear tuned in.

This measured approach also shows how Priice2X’s time behind the decks informs his production instincts. In the booth, you learn how to read the mood in a room and understand the moments when a crowd needs to catch its breath, the points where tension and anticipation can work harder than volume. “Hanks Anuku” feels like one of those transitional tracks in a set: not a peak-time banger, but a bridge that holds the room’s attention while setting up what comes next. That awareness is what gives the record its quiet confidence.

From a production standpoint, the soundscape is intentionally uncluttered. The kicks land with a steady thump that feels almost like a heartbeat, while the snares tuck themselves into the background, adding lift without becoming intrusive. There’s a warm, almost analog quality to the mix, as if the track were designed to sound best in motion, like a car drive or bus ride, with the hum of an engine and the passing blur of streetlights as its natural backdrop.

The title Hanks Anuku, which is a nod to the charismatic Nigerian actor known for his cool aura, feels fitting. Like its namesake, the record doesn’t try too hard to get your attention. Instead, it exudes a quiet swagger, letting you discover its charm at your own pace. It is at this juncture that you feel its replay value. The first listen might just have you nodding along, but as you hit the third or fourth, you start catching the way the snares skip, the subtle shifts in percussion, the spaces between the notes.

For DJ Priice2X, “Hanks Anuku” also serves as another step in expanding his identity beyond the decks. He’s shaping sounds from the ground up, taking his sensibilities as a DJ and applying them to the architecture of a song. That crossover is crucial in today’s music space, where DJs are increasingly becoming full-fledged artists with their own catalogues, not just conduits for other people’s records. The strength of “Hanks Anuku” lies in its ability to sit comfortably in different contexts. It’s a cruising track,, but it could just as easily serve as a warm-up tune in a live set, a loop in a rapper’s freestyle session, or a late-night favorite for someone winding down. That kind of adaptability comes from a deep understanding of rhythm’s role in human behavior, and DJ Priice2X has been honing this understanding for years.

It would be easy to overlook a record like this in favor of more high-energy, chart-chasing material. But that would miss the point entirely. “Hanks Anuku” is about mood over spectacle, about letting a groove breathe instead of suffocating it with excess. With this release, DJ Priice2X continues to cement himself as more than a fixture in Nigerian nightlife. He is becoming a storyteller in sound, someone who knows how to set a scene without saying a word. And if “Hanks Anuku” is any indication, he’s not chasing the loudest moments — he is chasing the lasting ones.