Rapper/Actor Tray Chaney became well known for his role as Poot, a young drug dealer on HBO’s The Wire, and has most recently become known as rapper and writer of anthems like the bullying prevention song Mike Bully and the LIVE World AIDS Anthem. Now with his new EP Hungry Humble Honest the rapper, actor, husband and father takes a departure from the anthems he’s most recently become known for to let the world see a different side by opening up about his personal life through his music.
From relationships to work to illness, Hungry Humble Honest— six songs that make up the first EP in a planned three-part series– is edgier than his previous music. Yet Tray doesn’t depart from the positive messaging that’s been a part of his music since day one. Here’s what he had to share with BMWK about the new project.
Why the departure from the anthems?
Hungry, Humble, Honest is still great positive content, but edgier. It’s representative of who I am. Fans are used to the straight positive initiative but I didn’t want to get type cast. I don’t want to be in a jingle box all the time.
Will you ever go back to the jingles and anthems?
It’s still something I’m doing. I just did a jingle for the Emerging Leaders United of Central Maryland. It’s definitely something I’ll still do. It’s how I started. I want to be able to do both.
Why Hungry, Humble, Honest?
It’s representative of who I am: Hungry, because anyone who knows me knows I’m hungry. If I’m doing anything it’s going to get promoted. Humble because I thank God for everything I’ve been able to create. I appreciate it. I’m humble. And honest because everything I’ve talked about is honest. It’s honest music.
This album has more edge. It’s more Tray meets “Poot” but in a positive light. There’s no profanity. Nothing degrading. I deal with touchy subjects. The song “Look in my Eyes” is about my father who has cancer. The love of my life is a story of uplifting women, telling that a man is supposed to be there for a woman. It’s edgy but its great content. This is my first series opening up and telling people about my situations.
Do you worry about how this EP will be received?
I’m not concerned with how it’s received. I’m confident. I wrote every song on the EP. It will be received well because people can hear this is the honest truth. I took time to truly represent my life and who I am.
There’s no cursing. It’s still something you can listen to with your family. You don’t have to turn it down or bleep out words. It’s easy to do records with a lot of foul language that are degrading to women. Doing a positive record is one of the hardest things to do as a rapper. That’s what I’m most proud of.
Listeners can purchase and download Tray Chaney’s Hungry Humble Honest on iTunes.