The Hip-Hop industry has been facing so much criticism for their sexually explicit lyrics, wayward lifestyle and nonchalant attitude toward family issues. A few Hip-Hop artistes have emerged to amend this view, especially regarding the industry and the notion of fatherhood.
Reported by NewsOne, “Divided Time,” which was created by award-winning WFJR Films and High Impact Multimedia director William Feagins, Jr., features a group of talented and burgeoning artists who are also family men. The film takes an unflinching look in to the private lives of theses rap and recording artists, unveiling a side that is seldom seen.
The hip-hop industry as it exists today is more vibrant and influential than ever, and as the genre continues to inspire young men and women, there are also the realities of responsibilities. Many artists who work in hip-hop are largely male, and some of them are parents. Therefore, the new “Divided Time” documentary examines the balance between chasing hip-hop dreams and being a devoted Father.
“As a fan of hip-hop, I feel it’s my responsibility to use my films to inspire conversations and highlight topics and/or people who would otherwise go overlooked,” states Feagins by way of a press release. “I created ‘Divided Time’ in honor of my father, but also to offer an alternative to the negative imagery and stereotypes that are often associated with hip-hop artists and Black men in general. At the core of it all, this documentary is about love and sacrifice.”
Divided Time captures the lives of nine musical fathers who share their experiences in parenthood and their pursuit of success in the music industry while being accountable to their families. Jerrell Anderson, aka Snub Zero, a featured artist in the film says he chose to participate in Divided Time because the film “focuses on fatherhood; a topic that is often overlooked or discussed with a negative bias. Examples of absentee fatherhood, or dysfunctional parenting often get more attention than stories about black men making sacrifices to be the fathers they always dreamed of being.”
The film features other independent artists, such as Arablak, Ekundayo, Stanza, and Supastiton. Grammy Award-winning music producer Focus composed the score for the film, which was mixed and mastered by producer, recording engineer, and Father Amond “AJ” Jackson.
Feagins has been on the rise as a filmmaker on the Atlanta music scene, winning the “Viewers’ Choice” and “Critics Choice” Awards for the 2012 Creative Loafing Atlanta Short Cuts Short Film Competition for his film, “UNDEREXPOSED: Indie Hip Hop in Atlanta.”
Feagins has also filmed music videos for a bevy of acts including J-Live, Lyric Jones, Stanza, Jasiri X and Boog Brown among others.
