Idris StarChile OFerrall
"StarChile" Miss Lopez Media
Idris “StarChile” O’Ferrall, a longtime organizer and promoter in Portland’s hip-hop scene, died today at the age of 42. O’Ferrall had been diagnosed with central nervous system lymphoma last month and underwent emergency surgery.

Soon after, friend and fellow scene leader David “DJ OG One” Jackson launched a crowdsourcing campaign to help O’Ferrall out with medical bills. The GoFundMe page raised more than $10k in eight days.

A born and raised Portlander, O’Farrell was a student at Wilson High School, and fittingly began his long career in hip-hop as a rapper in the '90s. O’Ferrall went on to become a radio personality, run his own label, and become a seasoned MC/host for myriad parties and events.

In 2015, O’Farrell partnered with then-Mayor Charlie Hales and DJ OG One to create the annual Portland Hip-Hop Day, which now brings local hip-hop artists to perform a concert at City Hall every October. In 2016, StarChile was integral in developing Mic Check, a new monthly hip-hop showcase with DJ Klyph. That event currently happens every last Thursday of the month at McMenamin's White Eagle Saloon.

Many folks and fans in Portland’s music community and beyond took to Twitter today to share memories of listening to StarChile from his radio days (Jammin’ 95.5 and JAM’N 107.5). Others saw O’Ferrall as a mentor, a keyholder, a friendly face, and someone they generally respected in the community. There’s no doubt Portland’s hip-hop scene wouldn’t be what it is today without StarChile’s lifelong career supporting it.

While official plans for a memorial service are TBD, tonight’s Mic Check event will also be a celebration of O’Ferrall’s life and legacy.