Rapper Is Game to Give Away $1M by Christmas

The generosity of rapper The Game made headlines Wednesday when he donated $10,000 toward the funeral costs of slain 6-year-old Tiana Ricks. Ricks was gunned down while at a relative's house in Moreno Valley, Calif.

The donation forms part of a bigger plan the L.A.-born hip-hop artist has to give away $1 million of his money "just because I feel like it."

The Game, whose birth name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, came up with the selfless idea Tuesday morning while on tour in Australia, and has since started an Instagram account where he documents his acts of generosity. Tiana is the seventh person to be helped by the initiative which the rapper has branded "The Robin Hood Project."

A protege of Dr. Dre, The Game, 33, is a driving force in the West Coast hip-hop scene. He rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album "The Documentary."

Of his inspiration to hand out the sum to people he meets around the world, The Game wrote: "The other day I posted this pic of an African child I met in Australia playing outside the grocery store. His story of his families (sic) hardships & struggles to get away from the terror they left behind touched me so I gave him what I had on me... Which was an Australian $20 bill."

"As the days passed, I thought about him over & over & over & the only thing that bothered me about that night was that I didn't have more on me to give him at that time. For some reason I just didn't bring more money from the hotel. Since I can't shake that feeling... I have decided to give $1,000,000 to people I come in contact with around the world everyday until Christmas," he said, adding that he had also created the @therobinhoodpro Twitter account and hoped that people would "support me on this journey."

"This very sad story hit me in a place nothing ever has," he wrote Wednesday of his decision to help Tiana Ricks' family. "I read about this story here in Australia & immediately tracked down her mother & noticed her & the family trying to raise $10,000 for funeral costs.... So I got her on a 3 way with my accountant & now I'm in the process of transferring $10,000 from my account to hers !!!!!"

Tiana's mother Marquia Macklin told TMZ, "Game told me that he heard about my story and was really sorry. He said that he wanted to help out and put me in touch with his financial team." Police are still searching for the shooters who killed Tiana and wounded her father.

Along with Tiana and John (the young boy that first inspired him), The Game has chronicled his ongoing project on Instagram, posting an image of all the people he finds deserving. $10,000 is the largest amount to be gifted so far with other donations ranging between $20 and $100.

The Game's selfless acts has inspired other, less famous citizens, too. "I just wanted to let u know that u really inspire me to be a better person and always give back to those who don't really have it," @ilyjah10 commented in response to the donation for Tiana Ricks' funeral costs. "I may not be rich like u but I sure can help ppl out in anyway I can. Thank you for being such an inspiring , loving and caring person. Keep up the awesome @therobinhoodproject & god blesssss you!!!"

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