Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons has called Bernie Mac an “inspiration” as the world continues to mourn the comedians death.

Simmons helped break Mac's career into the mainstream American comedy circuit after booking him to perform at 1992's Def Comedy Jam.

Speaking about Mac's death, Simmons told the BBC: "He is a person who is exactly the same age as I am and he was full of life.

"He is a guy who inspires us and makes us laugh and the next thing you know he is gone. So it was very sad for me."

"He represented a kind of hood attitude and cultural phenomenon that was underexploited in America but had great potential.

He was always honest and that honesty was what he exuded and what made him so great."

He added about Mac's on stage persona: "I remember when comedians, in advance of his performance, were booed off and the first thing that came out of his mouth as soon as he looked at the audience was, 'I'm not scared of you mother******s.'

"He coined that phrase then and it became one of his top calling cards for his whole life.

"There were still moments when we thought he might say the wrong thing but there were still moments when we were on the edge of our seat not knowing what he was going to say next."