Brittney Crush

Follow Musician, Actor and Vocal Coach Brittney Crush through a musical timeline of her journey as a young ambitious Hartford creative to now creating a global name and brand for herself in Los Angeles.  Before moving to California, she served as a vocal instructor and summer choir teacher at The Artists Collective as well as teaching underprivileged youth at places like CRT, The Boys & Girls Club and more. This Hartford native has had solo performances at The Crypto.Com Arena, was recently spotlighted on Revolt TV, and has been invited to perform with her electrifying band at festivals and well-known music venues around the country such as the Taste of Soul festival in Atlanta, New York City’s SOB’s and others. Being that her foundation is in Theater, she’s recently had the opportunity to be in shows like Grey's Anatomy, VIDA and BET’s Games People Play. We are excited to know that her journey started right here on this very same stage back in 2000 when her mother signed her up for The Hartford Children's Theatre. This is truly a full-circle moment and we hope you enjoy this intimate musical experience. 

Post-Performance Panel

Lindaluz Carrillo is a first-generation Afro Peruvian raised in Hartford. She is an Artist and Graphic Designer. Carrillo uses typography, textile patterns and graffiti elements to tell a story about her life experiences and values. Her work reflects topics such as self love, growth, resilience, and encouraging others to stand in their truth. Her work serves as a message to speak your mind with honesty, and without fear to embrace who you are.

William Jackson is a 28-year-old professional dancer born and raised in Hartford, CT. Specializing in Hip Hop and Tap, William started dancing at the late age of 14 at Northstar Dance Academy with Kandie Melendez and Corey Hutchins. In 2012, he graduated high school as a Dance Major from The Academy of the Arts under the guidance of teachers such as Kim Stroud, Judy Tolomea, Debra Goffe, Clare O’Donnell, and many others. Since then, he has performed in various venues across the country and the world. His credits include "Dream Team" at Foxwoods, he toured nationally as a Backup Dancer in The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience, toured China with the Barrow Company for the world-renowned show “Riverdance" and had the honor of performing alongside Broadway Legend Ted Louis Levy. In 2021, William had a month-long residency with Riverdance at the Expo 2020 Dubai as well as joined the US Tour for the final month in June 2022. William lives by the motto "Hip Hop from the Heart, Tap from the Soul."

TangSauce was born and raised in Hartford, CT and the Greater Hartford area. He is a multi-talented artist that has been involved in the Hartford arts scene for years and has been seen in live productions like The Wiz, A Raisin In The Sun, and Night Fall. He has hosted the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival, has been featured on the cover of Connecticut newspaper CTNOW and can be seen performing and hosting at events all over the city on any given night. Tang brings an old-school Hip-Hop flow with a new school perspective, with which he spreads peace, love, and positivity. 

Rodd (they/them) is a Hartford native Performance Artist who received their BS in Dance from LIU Brooklyn, under the direction of Dana Hash-Campbell. As an undergrad, Rodd was selected as a dancer for Kwame Opare’s MFA Thesis, Triumph of Disruption: A Movement to Subvert. Their choreography was also selected for the informal showing at the American College Dance Association in 2014. Rodd has worked with and performed repertoire by Ferdinand DeJesus, Kwame “Shaka” Opare, Diedre Dawkins-Opare, Clyde Evans Jr., Ronald “Ronnie” Coleman and Nathaniel Hunt among many others. They have performed professionally with EQuilibrium Dance Theatre, Sankofa Kuumba, Maimouna Keita, Bloodline Dance Theatre, HeartBreak Crew, and more.  Rodd also had the opportunity to choreograph and perform with recording artists Natti Natasha and Brittney Crush. Additionally, Rodd has taught and mentored youth throughout the United States as a Choreographer and Cheerleader. Rodd is the former Company Coordinator and Rehearsal Assistant for Bloodline Dance Theatre and a 2019 Emerging Guest Artist at The Performance Project @ University Settlement. They are also the Founder and Artistic Director of stubbornMVMT, a performance-based company intentionally creating chaos for radical and unfamiliar voices. As a performance-based artist, they use movement, text, and visuals to tease temptation, liberate the queer black soul, and often stir the pot.

Self Suffice The RapOet (Panel Moderator) was first discovered and introduced to crowds by the Hip-Hop icon Talib Kweli, Khaiim the RapOet has lectured on Creativity & Culture at Trinity, Yale, and other institutions interested in breaking writer's block, as well as stage fright. Before the COVID pandemic, his fans loved to catch him diving off stages, performing internationally with everyone from Pulitzer Prize poets like Alice Walker to Grammy-winning MCs like Common. Hip-Hop heads know him as Self Suffice, the charismatic lyricist whose album with Dreamville's (J. Cole) Mez Davis summited the Indie Hip-Hop Top 40. His positive use of rap music has been recognized by Obama's White House, the NY Times, NPR, and others. He continually perfects his craft and has received certificates from the Kennedy Center, NVC, and the CT Center for (Kingian) Nonviolence, to name a few. Self Suffice currently has 5 songs in Spotify's Top 10% Most Played, is 1 of the first Free Center BIPOC grant recipients, and is currently serving his 1st year as the inaugural Troubadour of Hartford, CT which also makes him the U.S.A.'s first Hip-Hop Troubadour. You can find his Make It Full Time program on Instagram at @MIFTkhaiim, where he provides career guidance & support for professional artists.

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This one-night-only concert is a live in-person music event. Masks and proof of vaccination will be required. For more information on our COVID safety policies visit HartBeat's website HERE