The Game Pens Heartwarming Note On Son Harlem's BDay, Name Was Inspired By Jim Jones

BY Erika Marie 14.6K Views
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The Game
Time flies, because Harlem Taylor is now 19. Happy Birthday!

Another trip around the sun is being celebrated and The Game is once again sharing the pride he has in his children. The Los Angeles rapper hasn't been shy about uploading videos and photos of his kids, and right before the world's eyes, those tiny tots are now in their teens. Today (June 30), Game and his loved ones are shining a light on Harlem Taylor, the rapper's son, as he is ringing in his 19th birthday in style.

To help celebrate, Game penned a lengthy message on Instagram where he detailed what it was like learning that he was about to become a father. "Took me hours to stop [Aleska] from crying by telling her everything was going to be fine & that I had her," he said. "Honestly, I didn’t even know if I could keep that promise but I made it anyway."


Harlem's mother, Aleska, was concerned about how they would make ends meet, and Game said he assured her that "by the time [Harlem is] born, I'm going to be a rapper with millions."

"I hit the streets, recorded my demo, slept in my car on melrose, passed out my cd’s & did everything I could to get signed & it paid off because by the time June 30th, 2003 came… I had a multi-million dollar record deal with Aftermath/Interscope," Game revealed. "Happy Birthday son (@harlemtaylorr) you were & always will be the motivation I needed to alter my lifestyle & become something better than I ever was before your birth. Thank you."

Game also shared that Harlem icon Jim Jones was the inspiration behind his son's name choice.

"That’s the 1st place @jimjonescapo took me my 1st time in New York when I landed at JFK. You are the best son, person, older brother that I @calidreamofficial & @kingjusticetaylor could ever ask for. Thank you for letting me teach you the way & also for becoming all that I raised you to be. You are my best friend, my world & an absolute better version of me."

Happy Birthday to Harlem! Check out The Game's post below.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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