After Thursday's private funeral for James Brown, celebrities new and old didn't hesitate to pay their respects to the man they say had unparalleled wisdom and talent.

Rapper-turned-reverend MC Hammer said it was important to attend the service held in North Augusta because the soul singer "deposited so much wisdom" throughout their years of acquaintance.

"When a man deserves to be honored, he should be honored," he said. "My life is better having known the Godfather of Soul."

Boxing promoter Don King met Mr. Brown 37 years ago when he and the singer put on a concert for the "Rumble in the Jungle" between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman in Zaire.

"A man is only as big as the people who believe in him," Mr. King said after he returned from Carpentersville Baptist Church. "To me he was a good friend. I loved the man. The funky beat he had was like a rhythm of humanity ... all kinds of people were brought together by (it)."

Comedian and social activist Dick Gregory said he came to pay thanks.

"To talk about James Brown and try to explain him in mere language - one word is too little and 10 trillion is not enough," he said. "He survived the most vicious, mean, white, racist system on the planet - with talent. Twenty or 30 years ago there were clubs in America he wasn't able to play in ... That's a hell of a price to pay for talent when nobody else has to face that."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson also attended the private ceremony and said that to him, Mr. Brown was always a strong man.

"He was born in blizzard. He survived storms. He was born in a blizzard, but when the dust settles he was born with a little, inherited nothing and left a lot."

John Landis, the director of The Blues Brothers, the 1980 movie that reinvigorated Mr. Brown's career with his screen role as the funky Rev. Cleophus James, called The Augusta Chronicle to say that he had wanted to attend Thursday's Apollo Theater viewing and Friday's service in Augusta but scheduling conflicts couldn't be worked out.

"I have nothing but good things to say about James Brown. All those titles - Godfather of Soul, Hardest Working Man in Show Business, Soul Brother No. 1, Mr. Dynamite - they are all true. He lives up to the hyperbole," Mr. Landis said. "I'm just glad to see he is getting credit as the great originator and innovator that he was. We will still be dancing to his music in 200 years."

Staff writer Steve Crawford contributed to this report.