Kunu Bearchum is a bit of renaissance man in the art world, so it only makes sense that the hip-hop artist, filmmaker, producer and owner of multimedia company Morning Star Creative is hosting an equally eclectic night of music and film to celebrate Morning Star and Culture Yard Eugene’s first studio space at The Hybrid art gallery May 25. Bearchum and business partner Michael Leslie, director of reggae production company Culture Yard Eugene, are putting together a community fundraiser and business launch party for the two companies. The event will feature a variety of Native American artists such as Southern Oregon University Professor Brent Florendo and hip-hop artists Savelle Tha Native and 2 8 Tha Native as well as reggae artists Anue Nahki, Light Code Band and Ras Indo. Hip-hop/spoken word poetry group M5 Vibe will also perform. Leslie, who is a reggae artist himself will play his reggae chops. Bearchum, who is Native American (Northern Cheyenne and Ho-chunk Nations) and performs under “KUNU,” will play his own musical stylings which he describes as “West Coast hip hop” with “Native influence.” He will also be showcasing a couple short documentaries he has produced for the OPB series about food in Oregon, Superabundant, one on Indigenous frybread tacos and the other on chanterelle mushrooms.
“We just want to celebrate and let our community know that we are available for artists to use our space,” Bearchum says. “Whether that be video production, editing, music performances etc.”
The studio will feature office space, production space and an isolation booth for recording tracking vocals. He says that while there isn’t enough space for a full band to record in this studio, he is excited for the other artistic endeavors that the space can be used for.
“Getting this office will be a key step in expanding and not only finding opportunities for myself, but then, you know, like hiring on other people to do the work that I’m a part of,” Bearchum says.
Bearchum hopes to open the space up to the public by June 1.
The fundraiser and business launch party for Morning Star Creative and Culture Yard Eugene is 6 pm Saturday, May 25 at The Hybrid, 941 West 3rd Avenue. Donation sliding scale $15-$150.
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