Former child star Chris Smith fought back tears on Thursday (09May13) as he paid tribute to his tragic Kris Kross bandmate Chris Kelly at his funeral in Atlanta, Georgia.

Hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, who discovered the duo as pre-teens, joined rapper Da Brat and Xscape singers La Tocha and Tamika Scott among the mourners at the Jackson Baptist Memorial Church as they bid a final farewell to the Jump hitmaker, known as Mac Daddy.

Dupri and Da Brat also wore their trousers backwards as a nod to the legacy of Kris Kross, who started the fashion trend when they rose to fame in the early 1990s.

Smith, aka Daddy Mac, delivered a touching eulogy to this longtime pal at the service, but had to wipe away tears as he told the crowd "it's been a struggle" to come to terms with the sudden loss.

He added, "I know Chris is in heaven. He was a true friend... I just wanna say I love you, man... and I'm gonna miss you dearly...

"My life... it ain't (sic) ever gonna be the same, but I just hope our legacy for hip-hop is never forgotten. I'm gonna do my part to make sure Chris' legacy will live on."

R&B star Keke Wyatt and the Scott sisters performed during the ceremony, which took place a day after fans were invited to pay their respects to the late star at a public wake.

Kelly, who battled substance abuse issues in the past, died on 1 May (13) from a suspected overdose. He was 34.