*Beyonce and Jay-Z began the Detroit stop of their On The Run II Tour at Ford Field by dedicating the show to hometown legend Aretha Franklin, whose is gravely ill and reportedly in hospice care.
“We love you and thank you for all the beautiful music,” Beyonce said about the Queen of Soul. The pair have a bumpy history dating back to the 2008 Grammy Awards, when Bey referred to Tina Turner as ‘the Queen.” Franklin released a statement taking exception, calling it “a cheap shot for controversy,” but concluding by giving “love to Beyonce anyway.” Less than a year later, however, Franklin defended Beyonce’s decision to lip-sync the National Anthem at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
Earlier in the evening on Monday DJ Khaled paid homage to Franklin during his set, asking the crowd of about 44,000 to “send some love to Aretha Franklin before spinning her iconic hit “Respect.”
Watch below:
Franklin, 76, has been in declining health for the past couple of years and had retired from touring. She last performed Nov. 7 at an Elton John AIDS Foundation event in New York City. Her family has asked for “prayers and privacy” during this time.
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