Tributes have been pouring in from across the world following the passing of Joe Downes, who has died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 32.

Joe, who grew up in Waterbeach and went to school at Waterbeach Primary School, Cottenham Village College and Long Road Sixth Form College, was found lifeless at the home he shared with his girlfriend Nikki in Brighton.

Often known as Joey Deez, Joe was a huge music fan and co-founded a record label, Village Live Records, in the seaside city after leaving Cambridge six years ago. His zest for all things hip-hop won him a huge audience.

The Huey Show on BBC Radio6 dedicated a slot to him and his music, and Brighton FM radio hosted a two-hour tribute to his music and life. Murals paying respects have been painted all around the country including in Fen Ditton, under Mill Road bridge, in Histon, at Black Rock on Brighton beach and in Leeds.

Joe was the only child of Waterbeach resident and much-loved music and dog enthusiast Jane Downes.

“I was so proud to know this beautiful person who was my son,” Jane told the Cambridge Independent. “To lose him at 32 is horrendous. The outpouring of love for him from everyone is unbelievable. A newspaper article in South Africa says it all – who would have thought?”

Joe’s musical odyssey went to a different level when he moved to Brighton with partner and former Chesterton resident Nikki.

“Off he went and he never looked back and that’s when he started blossoming,” said Jane.

“For him it was the hip-hop, the painting, music and skateboarding. Brighton allowed him to do more, it broadened his outlook, and he was doing all the things he wanted to do, so how good is that. He was such a free spirit.

“He was with Nikki for seven years, and the night he died he texted a friend to say how much he loved and adored her.

“He couldn’t walk from one end of the street to the other without people coming up to him and having a chat, it was like that everywhere.

“When he left home he blossomed into this amazing, kind, caring beautiful person – the word ‘gentleman’ has been mentioned so many times in the last few days. However busy he was he’d always speak to everyone. He was very loved which gives me some comfort.”

“His musical tastes were so vast, and it was the same with food – he introduced me to so many cultures of food, and he knew exactly what I’d like and what I wouldn’t like.”

It wasn’t just people that warmed to Joe either.

“He had such a love of animals that when he came home the cats would follow him around,” says Jane. “Joe was brought up to be a lover of animals. They had Herbie the cat in Brighton, Nikki and Joe adored him.”

“We’re waiting on an autopsy,” says Jane. “He was incredibly fit, he hadn’t been to the doctor’s for 15 years and that was for a fracture of his finger when he was skateboarding. He had not a day’s illness as a child.”

A private funeral service will take place on July 20. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, numbers are restricted at funerals.

Donations can be made to Audio Active, a groundbreaking charity helping young people with their musical and creative journeys.

Among the tributes on social media were:

“You made such an amazing life for yourself down in Brighton, doing so much for the UK Hip Hop scene that you always loved and you got to turn your dream into reality with Village Live” – brother Greg Sawcer

“The guy was so humble it’s nuts... He knew the meaning of graff, being true to your word, and being loyal... Fan first. Buys records because he ****ing loves them. Buys them so he could dance to them, breakdance to them, paint to them, listen to them loud. Music as a way of life... A huge personality that now leaves a gaping hole where it once was. A hole that I don’t quite believe exists yet” – Joe Mills

“He’d make me laugh till my jaw hurt and he would show me pictures of his ginger cat like a proud dad (literally every time I saw him, that was standard). We could talk about the stupidest things as well as the most serious (though he’d always make a joke out of it) and there was never any judgment. He was a real one. Genuine, funny, always smiling and loved life” – Silvia Porcari

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“He will never be forgotten and has impacted people in the most positive of ways that anyone ever could” – Russell Attle

“You were a great skater, graff painter & break dancer with such a vast knowledge of incredible music and records that I will really miss hearing about. I hope wherever you are you’re skating with a back pack full of spray cans while blasting out your favourite hip hop records!” – Doug Barclay, aka Remulak

“A shining example of what can be when you believe in independent art. Joey Deez you were a top top bloke and a powerful force of good in this Hip-Hop thing. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. Stop all the turntables” – Ashwin Balu

“We lost someone that just exuded goodness all the time” – Wundrop H Christy

“There will be a massive hole in all our lives forever. We all have to adopt his energy, wisdom, humour and outlook on life. Village live forever” – Yasmin Davies-Nash

“Soul of Gold” – CW Jones