As fellow Cash Money affiliates Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile, Mack Maine and Baby made their way into the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans this morning, hundreds of fans gathered outside the church to pay tribute to fallen hometown rapper Magnolia Shorty.

In addition to Weezy and his crew, a number of other local bounce artists made their presence felt at the funeral, including Partners-N-Crime, Kilo G, DJ Jubilee, Big Freeda and Ms. Tee, who was the first female artist to sign with Cash Money, followed by Shorty in 1995, who was the label’s second, and last, female member.

The closed funeral began at 11 a.m., and while more than 1,000 friends and relatives packed into the brick house of worship, the street outside was overflowing with nearly 1,500 fans paying tribute to the bounce legend. Many were wearing shirts in praise of Shorty (born Renetta Lowe), 28, with messages such as “R.I.P. Magnolia Shorty” and “We Love You Renetta,” as well as buttons that read “Forever ‘Shorty.’ ”

Her murder came seven years after the November 2003 killing of another New Orleans rapper, James “Soulja Slim” Tapp, whose original stage name was Magnolia Slim and who grew up with Shorty in the Magnolia housing projects and gave her the Magnolia Shorty stage name.

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The funeral was to be followed by a traditional New Orleans second line celebration in which her casket was be paraded down the street accompanied by musicians, friends, family and supporters. Their were rumours that their would be a Memorial tree burial, in keeping with her name, but unfortunately that never came to pass. Her send-off was still beautiful though.

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