Proof was finally laid to rest Wednesday April 19th with over 6000 coming to pay their respects at Detroit’s Fellowship Chapel.
The funeral service commenced forty-five minutes later than its scheduled 11am start due to the sheer volume of people who turned up for the last event of Deshaun Holton.
Eminem struggled to maintain his composure during his heartfelt testimonial, often breaking down. “He taught me how to be a leader," he said. "I'm sure everybody who has ever met him, even just once, can testify to the fact that he illuminated a room when he walked in it. I believe that Proof loved people and people loved him...without Proof, there would be no Eminem, no Slim Shady, no D12."
Obie Trice also spoke at the funeral, where he spoke out against violence. “I want to talk to the black men in here that's coming up in the 'hood, coming up in the struggle," he said. “We're killing each other, dawg. And it's about nothing. Nothing. Nothing. We're all dying ...over nothing."
Two days prior to the service a public viewing was held in the chapel where over 4000 united to see Proof for one last time.
Proof lay in a casket that was inscribed with both his rap name and birth name. He was dressed in his favourite outfit; a track suit, Kangol cap, jeans and Timberland-style boots. A Detroit Pistons jersey, signed by many of the players, was also draped over him.
At the viewing friends, family, fans and colleagues found it hard to come to terms with the recent events.
"We knew he was gone," Proof's good friend, rapper King Gordy, told the paper. "But when you see him now, it's like, 'Here goes a reality check.'”
Marvwon of the Detroit rap crew Fat Killahz added, "It doesn't seem real...he was Superman. How do you kill Superman?"
Bizarre was not able to attend the viewing on Monday. On Tuesday the church was closed to the public for ten minutes so that Bizarre was able to have a private last moment with his long time friend.
"For the most part, everybody is taking it hard. Especially his mom," Proof's cousin, Kenneth Malone told the Detroit Free Press. "We're just trying to maintain. Once we get past this, we'll deal with it really. Right now we're just trying to do what we can for the public."
Proof was shot and killed April 11th and will be strongly missed.
The funeral service commenced forty-five minutes later than its scheduled 11am start due to the sheer volume of people who turned up for the last event of Deshaun Holton.
Eminem struggled to maintain his composure during his heartfelt testimonial, often breaking down. “He taught me how to be a leader," he said. "I'm sure everybody who has ever met him, even just once, can testify to the fact that he illuminated a room when he walked in it. I believe that Proof loved people and people loved him...without Proof, there would be no Eminem, no Slim Shady, no D12."
Obie Trice also spoke at the funeral, where he spoke out against violence. “I want to talk to the black men in here that's coming up in the 'hood, coming up in the struggle," he said. “We're killing each other, dawg. And it's about nothing. Nothing. Nothing. We're all dying ...over nothing."
Two days prior to the service a public viewing was held in the chapel where over 4000 united to see Proof for one last time.
Proof lay in a casket that was inscribed with both his rap name and birth name. He was dressed in his favourite outfit; a track suit, Kangol cap, jeans and Timberland-style boots. A Detroit Pistons jersey, signed by many of the players, was also draped over him.
At the viewing friends, family, fans and colleagues found it hard to come to terms with the recent events.
"We knew he was gone," Proof's good friend, rapper King Gordy, told the paper. "But when you see him now, it's like, 'Here goes a reality check.'”
Marvwon of the Detroit rap crew Fat Killahz added, "It doesn't seem real...he was Superman. How do you kill Superman?"
Bizarre was not able to attend the viewing on Monday. On Tuesday the church was closed to the public for ten minutes so that Bizarre was able to have a private last moment with his long time friend.
"For the most part, everybody is taking it hard. Especially his mom," Proof's cousin, Kenneth Malone told the Detroit Free Press. "We're just trying to maintain. Once we get past this, we'll deal with it really. Right now we're just trying to do what we can for the public."
Proof was shot and killed April 11th and will be strongly missed.