Rapper Busta Rhymes skipped the funeral of his bodyguard who was gunned down outside the New York studio where he was shooting a video. Israel Ramirez, 29, was remembered Friday as a loving husband, father, son and brother, the New York Post reported Saturday. “He died in a very violent and horrible way,” Father John Duffell told more than 100 mourners at the Church of the Ascension in Morningside Heights. Rhymes released a statement through his attorney sending his “condolences to the Ramirez family” and calling Ramirez “one of the rare friends you come across that you can trust with your life,” the Post said. Ramirez was killed last Sunday when two people with rapper Tony Yayo allegedly shot at Rhymes’ producer, Swizz Beatz, police have said. Police have said they are not getting any cooperation from Rhymes in their investigation of the shootout. MTV.com reported Yayo’s lawyer said his client will not “be making any statements to law enforcement.” © Copyright 2006 by United Press International

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