NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) There was no tribute to Aretha Franklin at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards unless one counted a video snippit of the Queen of Soul singing “I Say A Little Prayer” and Madonna talking about herself, which apparently didn’t go over very well.
“Many, including myself, feared that Madonna was going to sing a song by the Queen, but fortunately, she spared us,” Deadline Hollywood’s Dino-Ray Ramos.
Madonna ended the night with a sleepy story about her early career when she sang “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” at an audition – one of the very few mentions of Franklin in the story that was primarily about Madonna (except for “Thank you for empowering all of us. Long live the queen”).
The story also took some time to tell and was likely a factor in the show running long and ending abruptly after the subsequent Aerosmith performance.
It wasn’t unnoticed with Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo, #OscarsSoWhite founder/activist April Reign, Campaign Zero co-founder Brittany Packnett and YouTube personality Kingsly just a few to weigh in:
They played a video of Aretha.
And then did the huge backdrop of her.
If they had given that 10 more seconds, and then introduced Madonna, who would’ve just introduced Artist of the Year or whatever, it would’ve been fine.
But… no. How dare you, @MTV. How. Dare. You. #VMAs
— April (@ReignOfApril) August 21, 2018
Madonna has been entitled + gentrifying [black] things for a LONG time.
She called her white son “Dis N*gga” and then SHE got offended.
She epitomized white feminism @ the Women’s March…
and let’s not forget her centering herself in The Carter’s historic moment. pic.twitter.com/3EyVMf0aBn
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) August 21, 2018
Aretha Franklin’s Tribute at the #VMAs:
1. Madonna talks about herself, at length, with Aretha as a footnote.
2. “Respect” is played at the very end.
3. A photo of Aretha with “1942-2018.”Bro, what? Disrespectful.
Madonna gave herself a tribute featuring Aretha.
— LoveYourself (@ScottieBeam) August 21, 2018
— Nia Langley✨ (@theNiaLangley) August 21, 2018
The fact that you made a moment about OUR Queen about YOU is just another example to add to the list.
And MTV shoulda known better.
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) August 21, 2018
“ok let’s find someone who won’t make this tribute about themselves” pic.twitter.com/qCVbbOnZrC
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) August 21, 2018
Madonna doing an Aretha Franklin tribute…which is basically her talking about herself. I’m done #vmas
— Sowmya Krishnamurthy (@SowmyaK) August 21, 2018
Madonna’s tribute to Aretha Franklin is Madonna telling a story about herself while acknowledging she loved the “Lady Soul” album. #VMAs
— Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) August 21, 2018
That “tribute” was very infuriating 😡
— Alison Williams (@therealalisonw) August 21, 2018
Madonna talking about guitar lessons, Paris baguettes and her ass hanging out while she looked for a stiletto with the image of Aretha Franklin behind her is everything I expected from the #VMAs
— Kingsley (@kingsleyyy) August 21, 2018
Chances are, though, nobody saw it anyway.
Madonna responded on Instagram, saying she did not intend to do a tribute and could not do so in “2 minutes”:
