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Busta Rhymes, Montell Jordan, LL Cool J and more attend Biz Markie memorial service

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Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Trailblazing hip-hop legend Biz Markie was laid to rest Monday.  Following the service, the “Just a Friend” rapper’s family, famous friends and fans gathered to celebrate his life.

Page Six reports that among those paying their respects at the memorial were Busta Rhymes, Montell Jordan, LL Cool J and many others.

Rapper Busy Bee spoke to the outlet when attending the service in honor of the Harlem native, which was held at the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts.

“Biz was an icon,” Bee expressed. “He is what we call hip-hop.”

“Remember, Biz didn’t get killed, he didn’t die in some tragedy.  He died in peace,” Busy continued. 

Markie’s widow, Tara Hall, was also in attendance following the memorial and revealed to the crowd some of her fondest memories of her late husband.

“The thing I’m going to miss the most about him was every time he would see me, his face would just light up with that Chiclet, toothy smile,” she recalled. “Seeing him smile made me smile… He made me laugh every day.  That is not hyperbole. That is a fact.”

His widow previously revealed to TMZ that former President Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama wrote her a letter to express their condolences. 

Also paying respects to the late rapper were Ice-TFat JoeTeddy TedDapper DanDJ Cool V and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who praised the artist for his “authenticity” and never forgetting who he was when he hit the big time. 

“Some artists started Black and then went mainstream,” said Sharpton. “Biz was one of the artists that made mainstream come Black.”

Biz, born Marcel Theo Hall, died July 16 at age 57 after a lengthy battle with Type 2 Diabetes.

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