Seat 4: Bruno “Kool Shen” Lopes, 46, France - 1,452,000
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Rap star Bruno “Kool Shen” Lopes is one of those rare people who seems to excel in every thing they do. As a teenager, he was an outstanding football player and nearly turned pro when he was offered the chance to play for the town of Lens. He said: “I didn’t do it. I went to New York instead.” At the time, Lopes was the National Breakdance Champion of France and for next three years, he and his friends made a living busking as breakdancers and graffiti artists. In 1987, Lopes formed NTM – originally as a graffiti group then as a rap outfit. “Kool Shen” became a major star and the group went double-platinum. Lopes’ hit “Un Ange dans Le Ciel” has had more than five million hits on YouTube.
Lopes first started playing poker (five-card draw) when he was 13. He then forgot all about poker for 25 years until he saw it on television in 2005. He began playing EPTs in Season 5 and min-cashed EPT San Remo. The following year, he cashed in San Remo again, and then had a deep run at the EPT6 Grand Final, finishing 42nd for €30,000. His biggest cash was in January when he beat a 108-strong field at the 2012 EFOP in Paris for €100,000. He was an overnight chip leader at EPT Deauville a few days later, eventually finishing 73rd for €11,000. Last month he came seventh at WPT Mauritius. His live tournament winnings now total nearly $400,000 but he still earns his main living from music. This is his fifth EPT Main Event cash.