Funeral for funk star Rick James

Singer Rick James' real name was James Johnson Junior

About 6,000 fans queued to pay tribute to funk music pioneer Rick James at his funeral in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, on Saturday.

James died in his sleep at his home in California on 6 August. He was 56.

"This Buffalo project boy was like a phoenix rising from ashes to the pinnacle of America's musical world," his cousin, Louis Stokes, said.

Fans filed past his open coffin at the service, which was also attended by the singer's three children.

Mystery death

"He took us all with him on a roller coaster ride," said Mr Stokes.

A gospel choir and band performed an upbeat tribute to the singer at Saturday's service.

The service was followed by James' cremation, according to funeral director Vincent Amigone.

Fans attended a public viewing of James last week

An autopsy has failed to determine James' cause of death and the results of a toxicology test are not yet known.

The singer had a pacemaker and was a diabetic. He also suffered a stroke in 1998.

James is best known for his 1981 hit, Super Freak, which was famously sampled by rapper MC Hammer 10 years later in his song U Can't Touch This - the track earned the pair a Grammy award.

"He was without a doubt a musical genius," said James' friend Aaron Dublin.

"He changed the game of music. There was never anybody like him before and there's never been anybody like him since."