Snoop Lion Donates To 6-Year-Old Tiana Ricks’ Funeral
Snoop Lion is the latest rapper to donate money to the funeral of 6-year-old Tiana Ricks, who was fatally shot Sunday in Moreno Valley, California.
The Long Beach rapper donated an undisclosed amount to Ricks’ family, his representatives confirmed. Sources close to the family told TMZ the amount was $2,000, but that information has yet to be confirmed.
In a statement, Snoop — whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. — called Ricks’ death “heartbreaking.”
“Little 6-year-old girls are not supposed to die from a gunshot. But it keeps happening,” the 41-year-old said. “From the mass shootings in Aurora and Newtown, to gang violence in the streets and murders in our own backyards, too many tears are being shed, too many young lives are being cut short. We need to come together to change this.”
Snoop added, “Beautiful Tiana loved to play the piano — she had a whole life ahead of her which she should have been filled with love and music.”
Tiana Ricks and her father, 26-year-old Tyrell Ricks, were shot as they stood in a driveway Sunday. Two men walked up to them and opened fire. Tiana died later at a hospital, and her father was wounded. The gunmen remain at large.
Snoop Lion‘s donation comes shortly after The Game donated $10,000 to Tiana Ricks’ funeral. After reading about the little girl’s murder, the Compton rapper tweeted, “This very sad story hit me in a place nothing ever has… Tiana did not know she was shot & kept asking was her father okay.”
The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, tracked down the family and vowed to provide $10,000 for the service. Marquia Macklin, Tiana’s mother, said she was grateful for the amount, but that it didn’t cover everything.
“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,” Macklin said. “It costs so much to bury her… sadly $10,000 only covers half of the casket and the plot.”
[Photo credit: Nikola Spasenoski / Shutterstock.com]
