Hip hop stars put on poker face for tsunami charity

SHANE WENZLICK/Manukau Courier

ALL IN: Hip hop star Mareko will be in Palmerston North tomorrow for a charity event for victims of the Samoan tsunami.

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New Zealand hip hop stars Mareko and Brotha D are coming to Palmerston North this weekend to raise money for Samoan tsunami relief through a charity poker tournament.

Club Palmy is running tomorrow's tournament, which has a $20 buy-in with an optional add-on and a re-buy if players get out early. Thirty per cent of the cash from tournament buy-ins will go toward buying food for the inhabitants of the small Samoan island od Manono-Tai. The aim is to raise $3000 from the tournament and other donations.

Tournament organiser and DJ Davy Faapito said getting Mareko and Brotha D, co-founder of hip hop label Dawn Raid Entertainment, was an easy task because they were both poker fans.

"I just mentioned I'm doing this sort of fundraising to help out with a little bit of food for a little island called Manono-Tai," Faapito said.

"Me and Brotha D have been friends for years in the music scene."

The rappers have pledged to donate all their winnings to the cause if they can beat the expected 100 starters in the tournament.

Players from the lower North Island have been invited to take part, including all three Manawatu poker leagues, which have a big following.

Manono-Tai is so small you can walk around its perimeter in three hours. It took the full brunt of the tsunami, which struck in September and killed hundreds.

"It got hit quite hard," said Faapito, who has family on the island.

He plans to visit Samoa by Christmas to take food and help rebuild parts of the community.

"Samoa isn't a holiday spot at the moment. When you go over you are going over to do some work."

Play gets under way at 11am tomorrow at Club Palmy and anyone is welcome.

- © Fairfax NZ News