LACK OF R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Madonna’s rambling Franklin tribute sparks backlash from some fans
NEW YORK The backlash was swift for Madonna’s rambling, egocentric tribute to music legend Aretha Franklin at the MTV Video Music Awards, with media and fans of Franklin, who died on Aug. 16, wondering why Madonna got the gig in the first place.
Entertainment Weekly editor Marc Snetiker tweeted: “Madonna presents an Aretha Franklin tribute by Madonna featuring Madonna with Madonna and Madonna as ‘Madonna.’” And radio host Lenard Larry McKelvey, known professionally as Charlamagne Tha God, tweeted: “I’m so lost. I thought Madonna was supposed to be paying homage to Aretha but I all heard was her paying homage to herself. HEAVY on the Mayonnaise.”
But Madonna now says she wasn’t asked and didn’t intend to do a tribute to Franklin. On Instagram Tuesday, Madonna said she was asked to present the video of the year award and share any anecdotes she had in her career that were connected to Franklin.
She said she could never do Franklin justice with a tribute amid the noise and tinsel of an awards show. Dressed in flowing black with grandiose flourishes of African jewelry, Madonna’s sendoff came before she presented the award for video of the year to Camila Cabello on Monday night. She spoke at length about her own start in the business and her own career before thanking Franklin for “empowering all of us.”
Madonna opened by saying Franklin “changed the course of my life.” But from there it evolved into a story about Madonna’s own journey into the music business.
She shared her experience at an audition where she sang Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman in a last-minute decision after she had failed to bring sheet music or prepare another song.
Madonna said she ended up singing the tune, which she knew “by heart,” a cappella. Though, she said, the two men who she was auditioning for didn’t believe “some skinny-ass white girl” was going to “belt out a song by one of the greatest soul singers that ever lived.”
She said Franklin “led me to where I am today.”
“I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-EC-T. Long live the queen.”
Cabello collected the biggest award of the night for her Havana video with a bow to Madonna, dedicating the trophy not to Franklin but to Madonna.
There was a short video of early Franklin that played before Madonna spoke and Franklin’s Respect played as the night’s closing credits rolled. But there was no live musical performance honouring the legend.
Some accused Madonna of cultural appropriation for her outfit. Far more accused her of making the show’s only tribute to Franklin all about herself.
After describing her teen exit from Detroit to make her name in show business, Madonna said at one point, “So, you are probably all wondering why I am telling you this story.”
Why, yes.
Before she got to the point about the audition, Madonna meandered through references to Paris, poverty, guitar lessons and finally her backside hanging out at a VMAs show after breaking a stiletto.
“Does Madonna know Madonna didn’t die?” ESPN’s Katie Nolan tweeted. The Madonna Twitter roasting included this from one angry Franklin fan: “Only madonna would tell her life story while honouring a dead Black Woman lmaooo.”