This Friday I will be hitting the stage for Hot Chocolate Soul at The Bushnell. I am so excited and although this is not my first time doing the show I still feel so honored to be a part of it.
There is a history for me behind this show that people don’t know. For one, I have known June Archer – the producer and host of HCS since I was about 14 years old. I remember when June first came out with his group Room Service and their video “Ain’t Nothing Wrong” aired on TV. It was like the greatest thing in the world to me because I have always wanted to be an actress and performer and coming from Connecticut you never really seen anyone on TV from where you are from. It gave me hope and inspiration. June became somewhat of a trail blazer to me and so many others.
When I moved back home after college I was determined to make my mark here in CT. Someone once told me “if you can’t make it at home then you can’t make it anywhere.” So I wanted to establish myself in CT as a performer. One of the first shows I heard about when I got back was HCS. I was talking to a promoter telling him I was a poet and he said to me, “Have you ever done Hot Chocolate Soul?” I was like, ‘no, what’s that?” He basically told me I wasn’t a poet in Hartford until I did HCS. So I was determined to figure out how to get on the show.
When I found out June was the man behind the biggest show in Hartford I was ecstatic! I was like ‘Wow, he is still doing his thing!’ I got in touch with him and told him I wanted to do the show. I can’t remember exactly what he said but it was along the lines of, “Make sure you’re hot!” I must say, that was some of the best advice I have gotten to this day – and he was right! When I first saw the show I was like ‘yo these people are DOPE!’ I remember seeing, Mind.Evolution. and Heshima and a host of other extremely talented artists and I felt like it would be such an privilege just to be allowed on that stage with them.
Here I am now with like 5 HCS shows under my belt and I feel humbled to be a part of it. I guess I am a little “hot” too…LOL. But really it is a great show with some of the best talent in the tri-state area and I am so thankful to be a part of it again. Now those people that I admired from a far are my friends and I can’t wait to share the stage with them. Mind.Evolution (who remains one of my favorite poets), Evelyn Dillon, Michael “Beat Wiz” Spellman, Lanisha “Elle-Ce” and I’m sure other’s that I’m not even aware will be there right now will be setting the mic on fire. It is going to be an amazing show!
Get your tickets now because this show always sells out!!! I can’t wait to do it again, we’ve got something really special planned!!!
Actor/Author/Mom/Wife 