Rapper the Game raises $17,000 for child's funeral, calls for cease-fire

After the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old boy in the  Mid-City area, rapper The Game is asking gang members to leave their guns at home during the holiday season.

“What I’m trying to do is get every gang member in my city … to cease fire, not fire a gun for the rest of the month,” he said.

The Game, whose given name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, told The Times on Thursday that his inspiration was simple: “You just don’t want that to happen to your children.”

Taylor, who has three children ages 10, 6, and 3, has also raised more than $17,000 to donate to the family of Taalib Pecantte, who died Tuesday, a day after he was shot in the back.

Taalib’s mother and her 31-year-old male friend were also hit, but suffered minor injuries. Police are searching for four people believed to be involved in the shooting. The men, described as black and wearing black hooded sweatshirts, fled in a white compact car.

Taylor said part of the money raised came from gang leaders in the Los Angeles area.  Taylor has also reached out to other victims of violence.

In September, he and other rappers donated money to the family of 6-year-old Tiana Ricks, who was fatally shot in Moreno Valley.

Taylor, who grew up in Compton and joined the Cedar Block Pirus, a Bloods gang, in his youth, has been shot five times. He has lost two brothers to gang violence and his youngest sister survived a gunshot wound to the back.

Of the violence, he said, “It’s all the way home. It’s not even close to home; it’s inside the front door.”

Police are still looking for the people responsible for Taalib’s killing.

Anyone with information can call LAPD West Bureau Homicide Dets. Rolando Rodriguez or Scott Masterson at (213) 382-9470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Photo: Taalib Pecantte. Credit: Pecantte family