At just 8 years old, Lil K.K. Hustle is preparing for one of the biggest stages of her young career as she gets ready to compete this July at the 2026 World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Las Vegas, representing Team USA in an international event often described as the “Olympics of Performing Arts.”
From July 13–21, performers from around the world are expected to gather at the Westgate Resort & Casino to compete across a variety of artistic disciplines including singing, acting, modeling, dance and instrumental performance. Lil K.K. Hustle plans to compete in four categories: rap, singing, acting and modeling — giving her multiple opportunities to earn medals while also competing for overall championship honors.
For Lil K.K. Hustle and her mother, Tasha Black, this opportunity represents far more than a competition. It marks another chapter in a journey that began before most children can even form complete sentences.
According to Tasha, music found her daughter naturally.
“When she was a baby, I’d be working on music and playing beats in the car,” Black explained. “One day I realized the little voice in the backseat was her trying to rap along. She was keeping rhythm before she could really talk.”
By around age two, those early moments turned into performances and appearances that continued to grow into opportunities across multiple creative spaces.
Today, Lil K.K. Hustle’s résumé already includes accomplishments many adults would envy.
She describes herself as an artist, performer and anti-bullying advocate. Her background includes music releases across streaming platforms, appearances on magazine covers, acting work, and live performances. Her family shared that she appeared in a Disney project where she played a rapping sheriff named Lil K.K., appeared in publications, and recently celebrated the release of her comic book through Amazon.
Her mother said the path to WCOPA came through relationships built over years of performing.
The family explained that someone they had been working with since Lil K.K. Hustle was around four years old performing music shows introduced them to WCOPA. Rather than a traditional qualifying event, the opportunity came through an application process, and according to the family, organizers connected with Lil K.K. Hustle’s personality and performance background.
Now, she will have the chance to perform alongside artists from dozens of countries.
While she is excited for every category, Lil K.K. Hustle said rap remains especially close to her heart.
Still, she is equally excited about acting, where she plans to incorporate one of the causes she cares about most.
“We’re going to do something with anti-bullying,” she said.
That message has become a recurring theme throughout her creative work. The family said she has released music centered around encouraging kindness and speaking up for others and hopes to continue using entertainment as a way to connect with young audiences.
WCOPA materials provided by the family describe the event as more than competition — emphasizing networking, education and opportunities to connect with industry professionals. In materials submitted ahead of the event, Lil K.K. Hustle wrote that she sees the experience as a chance to grow personally and artistically.
She described wanting to sharpen her discipline, build relationships with artists and industry professionals and continue developing into “the version of myself who is bolder, more intentional, more powerful, and more aligned with the future I’m building.”
As preparations continue, the family is also working to cover remaining travel-related expenses associated with the event.
While registration and competition costs have largely been handled, they are seeking community support to help cover hotel accommodations during the nine-day event. Organizers strongly encourage contestants to stay on site to maximize networking opportunities and participation throughout the week.
Local businesses have already stepped forward to support the journey.
Current sponsors supporting Lil K.K. Hustle’s WCOPA journey includes Snowden Landscape, Game Corner, Shenanigans, VFW, Artesian Cellars Winery, Al’s Body Shop, FD Candy, Morales Construction, Fitlife Bungee, and Tiberti Fencing.
Community members and businesses interested in supporting Lil K.K. Hustle’s journey to the World Championships of Performing Arts can contribute through several available options. Donations can be made via Cash App ($Hustleflow815), Venmo (Lil K.K. Hustle LLC @kkhustle815), PayPal, as well as cash or check contributions. The family noted that sponsorship support will help cover remaining hotel accommodations and related event expenses during the nine-day competition in Las Vegas. Sponsors will also receive recognition in the official 2026 WCOPA program book as part of their support of Team USA’s young performer.
Also on June 28, at FD Candy’s new location (by Mom’s Diner), a slush fund fundraiser will be held to support Lil K.K. ‘s Journey. All proceeds from slush sales will go to Lil K.K.
For Tasha, the support means more than financial help.
“This is really about giving her the opportunity to experience everything that comes with being there,” she said. “You never know who you’ll meet or what door could open.”
And for Lil K.K. Hustle, the excitement is simple.
Asked what she’s looking forward to most, her answer was immediate:
“All of it.”
