As the world continues to demand justice for the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old was finally laid to rest in his hometown of Houston on Tuesday.
The solemn funeral service, which was held at the Fountain of Praise Church, saw the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton, Jamie Foxx, Floyd Mayweather, Channing Tatum, rappers Slim Thug, Trae Tha Truth and Paul Wall, among others, in attendance.
One of the emotional moments of the service was when R&B crooner Ne-Yo took to the stage to perform a rendition of Boyz II Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.” Struggling to hold back tears, mourners cheered the So Sick singer and Grammy winner on during his emotional performance until he was able to finish the song.
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Before the performance, Ne-Yo also paid tribute to the deceased. Floyd passed away on May 25 after a Minnesota police officer was filmed with his knees on his neck for several minutes, ignoring his pleas, and that of onlookers, that he could not breathe. His death has sparked nationwide Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the United States.
“Fifty states are protesting at the same time. This man changed the world — changed the world for the better,” he said. “So, I just want to personally thank George Floyd for his sacrifice, so that my kids can be all right later on. I appreciate the sacrifice, my brother, I genuinely do.”
There have also been solidarity protests in other countries. Take a look at his performance below:
