US rap star linked to young dad's vicious assault

Lloyd Polite, in Auckland for a show, was questioned by police over the vicious assault but has since left the country. Photo / Supplied

A United States rap star was spoken to by police over a vicious daylight assault on a couple and young father near a children's playground in an affluent Auckland suburb.

The father was knocked unconscious when he intervened in a brawl in St Heliers involving at least 10 people just before 7pm on Wednesday, February 1.

He had been at the playground with his children when a "gang" of cyclists allegedly confronted a couple. A witness said the group had earlier approached the couple for drugs.

The witness said the group punched and kicked another man before hitting his girlfriend in the face. Soon after, the father, whose children were close by, tried to calm the situation but was "king hit" and knocked out. He was taken to hospital.

The Herald has learned that R&B singer Lloyd, known here for his latest single Dedication to my Ex (Miss That), was spoken to by police after the incident, described by a witness as an LA gang-style brawl.

The 26-year-old, whose real name is Lloyd Polite jnr, had been in Auckland for a one-off show at the Civic on Friday, February 3.

Police said Polite and members of his entourage were questioned the following Saturday about the incident. But it could not be determined who "threw the first hit" and the victims did not want to press charges, so the group were released and carried on to catch their planned flight.

A police source said it was not suggested that Polite hit anyone, but he was identified as being at the scene.

A relative of the injured man said he believed he was hit by a bodyguard of Polite.

She said the man woke in hospital and at first did not remember the attack, or even his own birthday. He was at home on Saturday when police called him to say the alleged attackers were being questioned. Police tracked the group down at their hotel through records at the company they hired their bikes from. "The police rang and asked him if he wanted to press charges. At that point he had no idea who it was," the relative said. "He [the victim] didn't want to press charges, he just wanted them out of the country."

The victim went online to research him.

"I couldn't believe it when I found out. We found a video of a meet-and-greet in Sydney and Lloyd was there with a bodyguard.

"He [the victim] went, 'Oh my God, that's the guy that knocked me out'."

The relative understood police could not take the matter further if the victims did not want charges laid.