Madonna says she meant no d-i-s-r-e-s-p-e-c-t when she shared a story about her connection to the late Aretha Franklin during the MTV’s Video Music Awards on Monday night.
Madonna says she was asked to present the award for video of the year at the VMAs and told to “share any anecdotes she may have had in her career connected to Aretha Franklin.” But she did “not intend to do a tribute.”
“I shared a part of my journey and thanked Aretha for inspiring me along the way. I did not intend to do a tribute to her!” “That would be impossible in 2 minutes with all the noise and tinsel of an award show. I could never do her justice in this context or environment.”
Franklin died last week after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
When Madonna walked on stage to present, an image of Franklin loomed over her, leading most to believe she was there to do a proper tribute to the late legend. What followed left viewers scratching their heads, with some saying her speech was as much an appreciation of herself as it was to the Queen of Soul.