Daily Dad News

Former ‘The Wire’ Actor Releases New Video, Song ‘Fatherhood’

January 6, 2012

Although Washington, D.C. native Tray Chaney portrayed street tough Poot Carr on popular HBO television series The Wire, the actor-rapper’s real life was no cakewalk at points but hardly the gritty reality of being reared in the streets of drug-riddled Baltimore. After concluding five seasons of shooting The Wire in 2008, Chaney has managed to stay busy, sparingly, as an actor and moonlighting as a rapper.  Chaney just released a new rap track titled “Fatherhood” – and he aptly displays the virtues of fatherhood in the new clip.

Directed by BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com founder Lamar Tyler, the clip opens up with Chaney gamely mugging for the camera decked in hats and shades as opening credits roll. A staccato-like drumbeat and soft guitar strumming contrasts greatly with Chaney’s positive message to fathers, urging dads to be involved with their children. The hook, “I'd rather die than be labeled as the guy who wasn't around” jumps out immediately as Chaney is shown with his young son and even his own father rapping along with him.

A 2010 Washingtonian article revealed that Chaney hasn’t made a splash in the acting world after nobly taking a mailroom job at a local law firm to support his wife and family. “A lot of artists don’t understand that if you’re not working in the entertainment business and you take a 9-to-5 job, that’s not lowering your standards,” Chaney said then. “Howrey gave me a chance. They respect me. And my fan base is in that law firm.”

Chaney is aware of the amount of children growing up in homes absent of their fathers and hopes his latest track will inspire action. “I went into this project with the hopes of addressing the challenges of fathers,” said Chaney. “It's important to remember our responsibilities towards our children and ourselves.”

Hats off to Tray Chaney and Lamar Tyler for this refreshing and enlightening clip.

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