Madonna’s attempt to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin on MTV’s Video Music Awards has some viewers calling out the singer for d-i-s-r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

Madonna appeared at the VMAs on Monday to present the award for video of the year and honor Franklin, who died last week after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She credited that failure with launching her into a different opportunity that led to the rest of her career.She added towards the end of her speech: "I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. Rather than focus on Franklin's astounding life and career, though, Madonna's rambling speech seemed to pay tribute to her own path to stardom and how Franklin helped influence her when, as a struggling artist, she once belted out (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman to land an audition. Some people complained that Madonna’s remarks were too focused on her own triumph rather than Franklin’s legacy. Madonna told a long-winded story about her humble beginnings, explaining that years ago (“I wasn’t even Madonna then,” she said), she sang an Aretha song in one of her very first auditions. “Long live the queen.”

As expected, Twitter gave Madonna the business for trying to center herself during the Franklin tribute.
Singer Madonna's speech invoking Aretha Franklin is criticized by singer Cynthia Erivo and draq queen Tatianna as self-centered.