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Takeoff (1994-2022) -

Rapper Takeoff was tragically shot and killed at the age of 28 on November 1, 2022. He was part of the award-winning rap trio Migos along with his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset, famous for hits like 'Bad and Boujee' and 'MotorSport.'

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Takeoff (1994-2022) -

His premature death was a shock to the music industry. The funeral was labeled a celebration of life and included performances from many of his contemporaries, such as Justin Bieber, who sang his song 'Ghost, and Chloe Bailey, who sang Beyoncé’s 'Heaven.'

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Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) -

Kobe Bryant is remembered as one of the best basketball players of his generation. He spent a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships and playing as an All-Star 18 times. In January 2020, he tragically died in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others.

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Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) -

Bryant was a major public figure with friends in the sporting and entertainment industries alike. His funeral drew celebrities from every walk of life. Basketball legends Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan made speeches, while some of the best singers alive paid tribute through song. Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Christina Aguilera all sang heart-wrenching ballads. Beyoncé performed her songs 'Halo' and 'XO.'

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Aretha Franklin (1942-2018) -

Aretha Franklin had a voice like no other. It earned her the title of "Queen of Soul," along with a top 10 spot in Rolling Stone's list of the '100 Greatest Artists of All Time.' Her songs 'Respect' and 'A Natural Woman' are as beloved today as they were when she first released them in the 1960s. She passed away in 2018 at the age of 76, following a battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

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Aretha Franklin (1942-2018) -

Franklin's life was celebrated in a Homegoing ceremony, a vibrant tradition in African-American culture that focuses on the deceased being welcomed home to heaven. The event was open to the public and included a concert featuring more than 40 celebrities. Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, and Smokey Robinson were just a few of the musicians who sang.

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Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) - Carrie Fisher was best known for playing Princess Leia in the 'Star Wars' films, but her career went far beyond the popular franchise. She wrote multiple semi-autobiographical books, turning one called 'Wishful Drinking' into an award-winning one-woman stage show. Fisher was applauded for speaking openly about her experiences with bipolar disorder and addiction. She sadly passed away at the age of 60 in 2016. She died of cardiac arrest with a number of drugs in her system.

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Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) -

Fisher touched the lives of many and was a beloved character in Hollywood. Many of her famous friends held a memorial at her home, including Meg Ryan, George Lucas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Meryl Streep. Streep led the group in a rendition of Fisher's favorite song, 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'

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Whitney Houston (1963-2012) - Despite the fact that Whitney Houston died at the premature age of 48 following a very public battle with addiction, her legacy as one of the greatest vocalists of all time is secure. The 'I Will Always Love You' singer died of an accidental overdose in 2012.

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Whitney Houston (1963-2012) -

Houston was a friend to many other greats, including Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys, both of whom sang at her funeral. Keys sang 'Send Me an Angel,' and Houston's own rendition of 'I Will Always Love You' was played as her coffin was carried out of the church.

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Michael Jackson (1958–2009) -

Michael Jackson was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Nicknamed the "King of Pop," Jackson is still up there with some of the best-selling artists of all time. He had mostly retired from public life by the time of his death in 2009, due to multiple allegations of child abuse. He died at the age of 50 after overdosing on sedatives administered by his personal doctor.

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Michael Jackson (1958–2009) -

The Jackson family was famously musical and produced The Jackson 5 and Janet Jackson in addition to MJ. Naturally, his family sang for him at the massive funeral, which had an estimated 17,500 attendees and a further 2.5 billion viewers watching the broadcast. His brother Jermaine sang 'Smile' by Charlie Chaplin, which was reportedly one of Jackson's favorite songs.

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Michael Jackson (1958–2009) -

There were further performances from Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, Usher, John Mayer, Jennifer Hudson, and many more. They sang some of Jackson's own songs like 'Will You Be There' and 'Human Nature.'

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Etta James (1938-2012) -

Legendary singer Etta James passed away in 2012 at the age of 73 after a battle with leukemia. She faced many difficulties in her life, but still achieved countless accolades and has gone down in history as one of the most important singers of all time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame deemed her "one of the greatest voices of her century" and says she is "forever the matriarch of blues."

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Etta James (1938-2012) -

Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera gave musical tributes at her funeral, with Aguilera singing James' most famous hit, 'At Last.'

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Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) -

Elizabeth Taylor rose to the top at a time when an actor's fame and persona were carefully crafted by their managing studio, but Taylor refused to fit the mold. She became one of the best-known and most respected actresses of the 20th century. Famous for films like 'Cleopatra' (1961) and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' (1967), she was also notorious for her eight marriages. She dealt with many health problems throughout her life, and passed away of congestive heart failure in 2011 at the age of 79.

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Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) -

Taylor left specific instructions that she be fashionably late to her own funeral, so her coffin was brought in 15 minutes after the official start time. Her grandson, the artist Rhys Tivey, sang 'Amazing Grace' that day, but a private memorial service was also held later that year. Her close friend Elton John paid tribute by singing his song 'Blue Eyes.'

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Princess Diana (1961-1997) - Princess Diana, the beloved British royal who was dubbed the "People's Princess," had her life cut short in a tragic car accident in 1997. She was just 36 years old when she and her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, were killed in a crash in Paris. Diana became one of the most famous and beloved public figures in the world following her marriage to then-Prince Charles in 1981. She was a dedicated philanthropist and had a major influence on how the public perceived the AIDS crisis.

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Princess Diana (1961-1997) -

Diana shared a passion for this cause with Elton John, and they became friends as a result. In a break from tradition, John was allowed to perform at the royal funeral. He rewrote his song 'Candle in the Wind' for Diana and donated all the proceeds for the new version to charities that were close to her heart. He promised never to perform that version of the song again unless asked to by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, stating that it was “a memento of grief and love for her.”

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Janis Joplin (1943-1970) - Janis Joplin was one of the biggest rock stars of the 1960s, giving a legendary performance at Woodstock in 1969. Sadly, her life was cut short by an accidental overdose in 1970 when she was just 27 years old.

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Janis Joplin (1943-1970) -

Luckily, Joplin had already made a will. One of her dying wishes was that her friends hold a memorial bash in her honor, and she even allocated funds for the open bar. Bands such as the Grateful Dead (pictured), Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Big Brother & the Holding Company all jammed together to celebrate the late legend.

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Luther Vandross (1951-2005) -

Luther Vandross was a coveted backing singer who performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, and David Bowie, before finding success as a solo artist. He became an R&B legend in his own right with songs like 'Never Too Much' and 'Here and Now.' He suffered from diabetes and hypertension, and sadly passed away at the of 54 following a heart attack.

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Luther Vandross (1951-2005) -

During his career, he formed close friendships with countless legendary vocalists, many of whom performed at his funeral. Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Usher, and Alicia Keys all sang hymns or songs dedicated to Vandross. They all came together around the piano to sing his hit song 'Power of Love/ Love Power' at the end of the ceremony.

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Joan Rivers (1933-2014) -

The legendary comedian Joan Rivers was a pioneer in her field. She became the first woman to host a late-night talk show and was loved (and loathed) for her brash sense of humor and acerbic wit. Rivers was famous for her satirical red carpet interviews and wrote 12 best-selling books. She passed away in 2014 at the age of 81 and received a posthumous Grammy for her audiobook, 'Diary of a Mad Diva.'

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Joan Rivers (1933-2014) - Rivers left clear instructions that she wanted her funeral to be a “big showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action.” Friends, family, and fellow celebrities came together to pay tribute in a manner fit for a queen of comedy. The eulogy was given by Howard Stern, and Hugh Jackman sang a musical number dedicated to her.

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Chris Cornell (1964-2017) - The music industry was shaken when rock star Chris Cornell took his own life in 2017. The singer and guitarist was known for leading the bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, as well as his own solo career. He is considered one of the primary figures of the 1990s grunge movement. He was 52 years old when he died.

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Chris Cornell (1964-2017) -

His friend Chester Bennington, lead singer of the band Linkin Park, performed Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' at Cornell's funeral. Sadly, Bennington also took his own life a few weeks later on what would have been Cornell's 53rd birthday.

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Michael Hutchence (1960-1997) -

Michael Hutchence was the lead singer and founder of the influential Australian rock band INXS, famous for songs like 'Need You Tonight' and 'Never Tear Us Apart.' Hutchence was found dead in 1997 after taking his own life.

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Michael Hutchence (1960-1997) -

The funeral was attended by Hutchence's friends and family members as well as his many ex-girlfriends, including Kylie Minogue and Paula Yates. His friend Nick Cave agreed to perform at the funeral as long as the cameras were turned off out of respect for the family. He sang his heartbreaking song 'Into My Arms.'

Sources: (Funeral Guide) (Cake) (Ranker)

See also: Unusual items famous figures were buried with

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