Mourners poured out on to the street outside the church as they came to pay their respects to hip-hop artist Aaron Buron.

Mr Buron, known as AZ, died from stab wounds he received in St Martin’s Road in Rose Hill, Oxford, on Saturday, March 31.

Yesterday, his funeral was held in James Street Church in East Oxford.

More than 200 people attended the event, with many mourners unable to enter the church and having to pay their respects from outside as it was so full.

Last night, Mr Buron’s older sister Jemma Buron paid tribute to him.

She said: “He touched a lot of people and was loved very much. We have been swamped every day since he died.

“He would have been delighted – he always wanted to be the centre of attention and certainly was today.

“The tributes which have been paid to him are so touching it brings me to tears, but tears of happiness.

“I am just glad I can hear his voice when I play one of his tracks.”

Thames Valley Police closed off St Mary’s Road between James Street and Bullingdon Road for the funeral.

As the cortege arrived, the street fell silent and many of the mourners broke into tears.

Mr Buron’s black coffin was carried into the church to the sound of one of his own songs – Tears – which he had written and produced.

Many of the mourners were wearing T-shirts bearing Mr Buron’s nickname.

Musical collaborator Andrew Jones, known as Asher Dust, worked on Tears with Mr Buron.

He said: “It was a track we were both proud of and was about gun and knife crime, so in one way it was tragically apt.

“A lot of people in Oxford’s hip-hop community knew him for his drive and talent.

“We will all be recording together and doing a few tribute acts for him, but we will wait until everything has settled down.”

The 29-year-old, who had been in a group called Ill Committee with two of his friends, had recorded material at Soundworks studios in Blackbird Leys as well as at the Ark T Centre in Cowley.

He had been performing live since 2009 and a CD of his work was on sale yesterday, with the money going towards a trust fund for Mr Buron’s two children, one-year-old Cory and seven-year-old AJ.

During the service friends and family members read out prayers and poems, and paid tribute to Mr Buron.

Music ranged from hymn Amazing Grace to P Diddy’s I’ll be Missing You.

After the funeral Mr Buron, who was studying carpentry at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, was buried at Wolvercote Cemetery in Banbury Road.

l Haydan O’Callaghan, 18, from Saunders Road in East Oxford, has been charged with murdering Mr Buron. He will appear at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday, June 13, to enter a plea.