Aretha Franklin's family responds to Madonna's misguided tribute
Following backlash from the MTV VMAs
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CELEBRITY Madonna
Everyone was talking about Madonna's speech at the MTV VMAs. From calling out her wardrobe to dismantling her presentation, the 'Material Girl' was met with overwhelming backlash following the event. During her speech, Madonna made a tribute to the recently passed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, but it turned out to just be about herself.
Following the news, TMZ talked to Franklin's family about the speech and the hostile reaction to it. Tim Franklin, Aretha's nephew, claimed that not only are the Franklin's not upset about the speech but believe Aretha herself wouldn't be either.
According to Tim, "Aretha's far bigger than any kind of tribute, and her fans shouldn't be so sensitive. She wouldn't have been," he said.
Madonna responded to the backlash on social media, saying, "I was asked to present video of the year by MTV! And then they asked me to share any anecdotes I had in my career connected to Aretha Franklin! 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. Unfortunately most people have short attention spans, and are so quick to judge. I love Aretha! R.E.S.P.E.C.T."
Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16 from pancreatic cancer.