The Associated Press

When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words. On Tuesday, the longtime Queen of Soul slammed Beyonce Knowles' intro to Tina Turner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, "the queen."

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

E-mails to Knowles' publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen Jaime Sarachit and Barb Deghan were not immediately returned.

In the first few seconds of Knowles' intro to Turner's performance, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the "Crazy in Love" chanteuse focused on Turner.

"There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent," said Knowles, strutting in hot pants. "Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."

At a party later that night, Knowles called Turner her "ultimate icon."

Still, Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, "love to Beyonce anyway."

Known for such hits as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools," Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet "Never Gonna Break My Faith" with Mary J. Blige.

Aretha needs to find somewhere and rest her seff wit all dat weight he put on and dem too tight dresses dem on her bossoms.

Beyonce ein gat da sense of a conch ta right dat speach. The Grammy writer's was jes biggin' up Tina and gee dat ta Beyonce ta say.

How dey suppose ta know dat all des "unofficial" queens was ga get mad at dat non-singing Beyonce gyal?


LOL!

Aretha's too old and too legendary to be so petty. I was appalled when I read this this morning. I was like, "No Aretha did not" . Furthermore, Tina is a Queen.She's the queen of rock and roll is she not? Just because the distinction wasn't made doesn't mean Aretha needs to 'act a fool' . Oh please. Let it go Aretha,let it GO!

Aretha paid her dues,she has a long list of achievements and can say wat she wants...she earned it back in da day wen it wasn't so easy in the US for a black girl that looked like a black girl to make it in the bigtime!:)

Aretha paid her dues,she has a long list of achievements and can say wat she wants...she earned it back in da day wen it wasn't so easy in the US for a black girl that looked like a black girl to make it in the bigtime!:)
as clueless as beyonce sometimes can be...she know she was wrong for saying that...their is only one queen...tina is tight...but we all know who is The Queen!

Why is this even an issue?

Why can't Aretha act like the supposed queen she is!

I never liked her fat azz anyway.

Petty heffer.

I never liked her fat azz anyway.
Petty heffer.
come on now, have some respect!

as clueless as beyonce sometimes can be...she know she was wrong for saying that...their is only one queen...tina is tight...but we all know who is The Queen!

And dats me!

did you see what aretha had on at the grammy's? she looked like a big bright yellow settee ta me!! she NEEDS to hook up with jenny craig ra real man.

did you see what aretha had on at the grammy's? she looked like a big bright yellow settee ta me!! she NEEDS to hook up with jenny craig ra real man.


Das not nice!


But she lost weight!!!

Das not nice!
But she lost weight!!!


Not nice!! Thats what she looked like to me!! I was like, Aretha should've taken a pass on this one. I know its not fair to compare folks whose situations you don't know but, look at Patti Labelle and Tina Turner, even take a look at Diana Ross.

With heart disease and diabetes rampant among Blacks, one would think that Aretha, who should have the way and means, would not let herself go like that. C'mon, she needs an intervention.

Did anyone see how fat Aretha's neck is????

Jeezzz...I thought she had Lymphadenitis!

To be honest when Beyonce said "queen" I could of sworn she was about call Aretha's name instead she called TINA TURNER's name which i don't have a problem with.

Aretha should focus on her weight instead of petty issues as her being the queen come on have any of you seen her she's HUGE im concerned about her health don't need another unfortunate death that can be prevented by practising a healthier lifestyle.

I never liked her fat azz anyway.
Petty heffer.

Come on man,Aretha is an icon especially to those of us that remember her in her prime. There is nothing easy about getting old and maybe she is just a little unhappy about it. Beyonce is a beautiful girl but in my opinion she will never be able to belt it out like Aretha.