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'We remember the fun M-Bone always wanted to have,' C-Smoove tells MTV News of his CSD bandmate, whose funeral takes place Friday (May 27).
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Vanessa Whitewolf

Mante "M-Bone" Talbert
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

As tragic as the shooting death of Mante "M-Bone" Talbert has been, his Cali Swag District bandmates continue to reflect on the positive when it comes to their fallen friend.

"We remember M-Bone's energy. We remember the fun M-Bone always wanted to have. We remember the spark that he lit onstage," C-Smoove told MTV News. "Onstage, Bone was like, 'Where is he goin'? Look at him, where'd he go?' He was everywhere. Sometimes he went so far, his mic started delayin'. We'd be like, 'Where's he at?' He'd be way at the top, at the nosebleed seats, dancin' with everybody."

On Friday (May 27), Cali Swag and M-Bone's family, friends and fans will bid farewell to the 22-year-old, who was murdered in a drive-by shooting on May 15. A public memorial service is set to take place at the Faithful Center in Inglewood, California. Inglewood Police Department's homicide division told MTV News that, while they have spoken to several witnesses, as of now they have made no arrests and have no suspects in the murder.

Despite the grim circumstances surrounding M-Bone's death, Cali Swag District's surviving members remain upbeat, laughing and even poking fun, choosing to remember the good times that they shared with the rapper/dancer. "We remember he couldn't pronounce a lot of words right," recalled Yung. "When he said 'phone,' he used to say 'foam.' Like, 'Pass me my foam.' "

CSD, who are most famous for their 2010 platinum single "Teach Me How to Dougie," remember Bone as a pretty calm guy ... that is, until it was time to dance, of course. "If you noticed, he's always quiet until it's his time to shine," Yung explained. "When it's time for anything that has to do with any craziness or hype-ness, that's his time to shine. If it's about dancin', that's when he go in. Other than that, he be chillin'."

M-Bone was so laidback when it came to talking with the press, in fact, that Yung said his crew should have changed his moniker in hindsight. "Chill Bone, that's what we should've called him when it comes to interview time, Chill Bone," he maintained.

The Inglewood Police Department is asking anyone with information surrounding the death of M-Bone to come forward and call its homicide division at (310) 412-5246 or its 24-hour anonymous hotline number, (888) 41 CRIME, or (888) 412-7463.

Do you have any condolence messages to send out to M-Bone's friends, family and bandmates? Share them in the comments.

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