Rising Stars: Meet Onyekachi Onuoha

Today we’d like to introduce you to Onyekachi Onuoha.

Hi Onyekachi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Newark, NJ, but raised in Orange, NJ by my parents who were born and raised in Nigeria. I was raised with strong African culture and always been the “black sheep” of my family, with a passion for art and creativity. Not a lot of people make it out of where I come from, just like any inner-city poverty-stricken neighborhood. My parents didn’t understand my passion, being from another country, but they always believed in me. And with the support of my family and my drive, I began working doing small music videos with local artists in my hometown. I started with one camera and a dream, and I fell in love with it. When I was 21 years old I signed with a label and expanded my artistry to Atlanta, GA. I gained opportunities to work with some of the biggest rappers and artists today. I decided when I was 24 to go independent and it was the best decision I made and with my perseverance and true love for the art of making ideas come to life.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not a smooth road and it’s still not. Starting a business comes with many obstacles that sometimes you aren’t prepared for. I’ve been through it all while going through this journey, from losing my father due to COVID-19 to shady business dealings from others. Losing my father was tough for me and it was the biggest loss in my life. He was a hardworking man and took care of his family. I went even harder afterward because I want to make him proud. I want to be just like him. After I left the label I was signed to, which was an extremely toxic work environment, and lost my father, I was even more passionate about my art and the vision I have and I still believed in myself and worked hard. To prove some people wrong and make my father and my family proud. This industry can be very tough, and you always have to be one step ahead! Dealing with life, running a business within the entertainment industry there will always be struggles and I have accepted that.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Director, my business Unorthodox Studios dealing with all kinds of visuals such as music videos, short films, professional photography, commercials, etc. We also provide services such as creative directing, editing, treatments, producing and assistance on production sets. We have worked on projects such as Young MA’s “BIG” music video, Mr. Chicken’s “Never Could” music video. Also have worked with other artists like Lil Baby, Lil, Durk, Mulatto, Rubi Rose, Eastside Jody, YFN Lucci, Fatboy SSE, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Offset and many more. I came up with the name for my business being “Unorthodox Studios” to mean we are one. Unorthodox Studios become the acronym “US” which means as creatives are one in the same no matter what you do, we have no judgment or prejudice for any creative. We are all different but we are the same. Our slogan is “Ahead of The Curve”. I believe that’s what sets us apart is our passion for creatives, working in this field we are also creatives so we have an unwritten understanding with others. I understand the difficulty of having others see your vision, so with our clients, we work our hardest to produce quality just how they want it because we are passionate about this work and honestly love it.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t think being a successful creative has anything to do with luck. Anyone in this industry knows how hard it can be, and how much work you have to put in. I didn’t have luck with this, I honestly put a lot in with my work, my connections and my business. Nothing about this journey has been easy for me, which is why I appreciate my accomplishments so much and this industry. Because if you make it, you know you did something right.

Pricing:

• Music Videos starting at $500 and up. Depending on treatment & budget.
• Professional Photography starting at $200.
• Commercials starting from $400
• Wedding Visuals starting at $600 and up.
• Films/Short Films starting at $650

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/unorthodoxstudios_
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/onyekachi765