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James Brown, the legendary singer, was mourned in New York with thousands of people taking to the streets of the city to pay their last respects.

Known as the Godfather of Soul, his body was carried in a gold casket through the streets of Harlem and placed in state at the Apollo theatre. Fans came out by the thousands to pay their last respects to the music legend. He was 73 at the time of his death.

His friend and former manager Reverend Al Sharpton praised Brown for his contribution both to music and to black civil rights.

'We didn't line these streets because he had hits, plenty of people had hits But none got them on their own terms,' he said.

'He never bent, buckled or bowed. He never diluted his music they'd say Mr Brown you got to water it down and he'd say if you didn't want James Brown you shouldn't have booked me.'

A private ceremony will be held for family and friends in the singer's hometown of Georgia today. A second public ceremony will be held in the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Georgia on Saturday.

Brown made his explosive debut on the stage of the Apollo theatre and Rev Sharpton noted: 'His greatest thrill was always the lines around the Apollo theatre.'

Best known for hits such as Papa's Got a Brand New Bag and Get Up, Brown passed away on Christmas Day after suffering from pneumonia.

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