Halfway through his North American tour, the YouTube-born rapper, Wax, delivered an 18-song set in West Hartford, where fans packed New Park Brewing’s Green Room for an intimate night of hip-hop.

Rapper Wax performs at New Park Brewing’s Green Room in West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

By Mia Jaworski

Independent rapper Wax, best known for his 2012 hit single “Rosana,” performed to a crowd of about 80 Thursday night at New Park Brewing’s Green Room, stopping in Connecticut about halfway through his North American tour.

The Los Angeles-based artist, who rose to fame in the late 2000s by posting rap and comedy videos on YouTube, headlined the intimate show alongside DJ Hoppa. 

Chicago hip-hop duo The Palmer Squares, Term (left) and Acumental (right), open the show at New Park Brewing’s Green Room in West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

Chicago hip-hop duo The Palmer Squares – Acumental (Matt) and Term (Seth) – opened the night with an interactive performance that featured audience call-and-response and even an on-floor verse delivered from the middle of the crowd.

Doors opened at 7 p.m., with guests gathering in the taproom before Wax took the stage at 9. He kicked off his set by high-fiving fans in the front row before launching into “Two Wheels,” a song with more than 3.1 million YouTube streams.

Rapper Wax performs at New Park Brewing’s Green Room in West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

Wax, a rapper, producer, songwriter and comedian, has built a diverse following over the years through both his sharp lyrical wordplay and more reflective storytelling. 

His track “Rosana” has been streamed more than 35 million times on Spotify, where he averages over 300,000 monthly listeners.

Brandon Chnty (left) and Nadine Pratt (right) at Rapper Wax’s show at New Park Brewing in West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

For longtime fans like Manchester local Brandon Chnty, who has followed Wax since his YouTube debut in 2007, the show was a chance to see an artist whose career he has watched unfold online.

Rapper Wax performs at New Park Brewing’s Green Room in West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

The tour continues with a Friday stop in Baltimore and a Saturday night show at Mercury Lounge in New York City alongside The Palmer Squares and Herbal T. Dates run through mid-December, with concerts scheduled across the U.S. and four in Canada.

New Park Brewing, located at 485 New Park Avenue in West Hartford, sits in an eclectic industrial building between a Chick-fil-A and a Cumberland Farms. Founded in 2015 by John Doyle, Alex Dee and Tom Atkins, the brewery has grown into both a popular craft beer destination and a community hub for live entertainment.

New Park Brewing in West Hartford, CT. Photo credit: Mia Jaworski

The Brewery offers several weekly events, such as weekly trivia nights on Tuesdays at 7 p.m., as well as regular concerts, with upcoming shows including The Breakfast on Saturday, Aug. 23,  at 8 p.m., Friday Night Funk on Aug. 29, Bumping Uglies on Aug. 30, and a Grateful Dead tribute in early September.

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