Fans braved cool temperatures, and later a light drizzling rain, for a chance to attend the funeral of Chad “Pimp C” Butler at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center Thursday.

Crowds began gathering before daybreak with the earliest arrivals just before 5 a.m.

Jacori Narcisse, 19, arrived around 6:30 a.m. to show support for the community and the family, as did many other patrons. Sharishe Weldon, classmate of Butler’s wife, Chinara, arrived at 7:30 a.m.

Meyoshia Smith stood at the center of the line wearing a “RIP Pimp C” T-shirt.

“My fiancé Lamant Johnson was in jail with C. and they were friends,” she said. “He’s hurt that he can’t be here at the funeral, they were close friends. He (Butler) sent him $200 on his books.”

Butler and longtime friend Bernard “Bud B” Freeman formed the Rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz). The group was recently nominated for a Grammy for “International Players Anthem” (I Choose You). The news came two days after Butler’s death.

Julia Augustine called the funeral an event of historic proportions.

Supporters waited patiently behind the yellow caution tape until officials opened the doors around 10 a.m. The funeral began just after 11 a.m. and ended around 1 p.m.

Director of the Civic Center Adam Saunders, members of Butler’s family, and law enforcement worked together almost a week to ensure the funeral would be a respectful, safe event, Saunders said.

Port Arthur Police Lt. Martin Blitch said members of PAPD, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Groves Police Department and Port Neches Police Department worked together on safety. FBI agents were stationed atop the Port Arthur Public Library observing the event. About 77 officers were on hand Thursday.

“Public safety is the number one reason we’re here,” Blitch said. “We want to make sure everything goes orderly. We have a mixture of crowd with kids and older adults. This is a show of respect for a man who has passed away.”

Law enforcement acted as fashion police of sorts, checking the attire of the fans to make sure they were appropriately attired for a funeral. There are reports of several women being turned away.

After the funeral, private burial was held at Greenlawn Memorial Park. Fans, many of whom did not attend the funeral, lined up in the Jefferson City Shopping Center parking lot near Kentucky Fried Chicken and Fastlane. Gerald Cyprien, K.D. and Latisha Montgomery showed their respect for the hometown rapper.

The trio called Butler a legend adding he is responsible for putting Port Arthur on the map.

“He put it down for Port Arthur,” Cyprien said. “We would never have been seen. Thank you Pimp C.”