The game supports firefighters and animal rescue in Los Angeles fires

Game has been waking up at 4:30 a.m. since the Palisades fire broke out on Jan. 7. After a quick shower and change of clothes, he was out on the highway. He arrived at one of the planned locations for the day just before 6:00 a.m. to meet with first responders from across Los Angeles who were on the front lines of fighting the fires that were quickly spreading across the city.

Game, along with his old friends Joe Mariscal and Travis Wilson (who also serves as his business manager), began handing out blankets, pillows, clothing, coffee, bananas and water to firefighters who were about to get up for another 12-hour shifts to respond to incoming fires. flame. When he arrived, he also met firefighters who had just returned from the night shift, their uniforms and faces covered in black soot.

“I've lived in Los Angeles for 45 years, almost all of those years I've been here, and I've never seen anything like this,” Game said. “Wake up and see the sun covered in smoke and all that stuff, it really puts me in a place where I just want to love things and love people and help.”

As strong winds continue to sweep through the region, evacuation orders have been moved eastward, with Brentwood and Encino residents currently still among the 105,000 people required to evacuate. As of January 12, more than 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, the fires have engulfed more than 40,000 acres, and the death toll has risen to at least 24 people, according to Cal Fire.

As firefighters continue to work to contain the blazes, thousands of Angelenos are volunteering to provide basic resources such as food, shelter, emergency supplies and more to residents and first responders affected by the fires, many from across the U.S. and even from Mexico. personnel.

Seeing the city and country come together impressed the game, which was one of the evacuees who left his home as fires burned in the Palisade hills. His upcoming album, Documentary 3, Originally scheduled for release on January 18, it has been postponed because his priorities have changed.

“(Firefighters) are bringing Los Angeles back,” he said. “What are these people doing before they leave their homes? They kiss their children and their wives and say, 'I'll be back.' “Sorry if I'm emotional, but maybe they'll come back, maybe the fire is dangerous, but they won't. Those are the risks they take. … Being with the firefighters day in and day out, seeing them put in the effort What, really gets me choked up most mornings. It's what makes me wake up every morning and rush off the highway before the traffic.”

The multi-platinum rapper has also partnered with Cleo Watts, Tanya Sabga and Angie Cotton of the nonprofit Cleo's Critter Care to reunite animals displaced by the fires with their owners, delivering food and water to shelters where several Hundreds of rescued pets. In a post, Game urged anyone who has lost a pet to contact the social media accounts @cleoscrittercare @angietatts @wrapcitydetailing for “information on all animal shelters in or around the affected areas of Altadena/Pasadena.”

Game is one of a growing number of celebrities showing up in the Los Angeles community. Beyoncé's BeyGOOD Charitable Foundation donated $2.5 million to the newly created Los Angeles Fire and Rescue Fund, while Jamie Lee Curtis announced plans to donate $1 million to the Fire and Rescue Fund. jimmy kimmel live As wildfires spread across areas of Los Angeles, the company paused filming and used its Hollywood backlot as a donation center to gather necessary resources for those affected by the fires.

In addition to resources available to everyone in the area, there are also music industry-specific resources emerging. Nick Cannon, a character from “The Game,” recently paid a visit to prison firefighters to thank them for battling the Los Angeles fires.

“It just goes to show that as a city, as a country, as human beings, we still love each other, we still care about each other,” Game said.

He emphasized the power of community when explaining to his 14-year-old daughter, Cali Lynn Dream Taylor, the reason for meeting with first responders every morning for the past week. “What if one firefighter didn't show up for work that day? What if one person didn't donate? What if everyone decided to do nothing? Then we wouldn't have as many people here to save our city. ”

He continued: “I named my daughter California. That's her name, California Dream. I thought, 'What would you be called if I wasn't here doing the job I need to do for this city and this state? Name? ' … She got it and from then on, she and my sons were fully supportive.”

“If there had to be one basic statement for me, it would be to tell everyone to have a heart,” he said. “Be more human and love the people around you because we didn't see this coming.”

The game provided reflection on the days ahead, as forecasters warn another round of dangerous winds is expected to return this week. He said he told first responders: “If you were here every day, we would be here every day.”