
Social media erupted in response to Madonna's tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday night, after she was accused of 'making the entire speech about herself'.

The 60-year-old singer took to the stage to honour the Respect singer, who tragically passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer last week aged 76, however many criticised Madonna for the content.

In the 10-minute address, Madonna recalled her early days as an aspiring singer and dancer, including one audition where she performed Franklin's iconic (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. Despite the heartfelt address, she angered fans after she was accused of focusing on herself rather than the 'Queen Of Soul'.

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The legend: Social media erupted in response to Madonna 's tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday night, after she was accused of 'making the entire speech about herself'

Angry viewers felt Madonna spent more time talking about herself than Aretha, with Twitter swarmed with messages from fans who were unhappy with the tribute's content.

Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, penned: 'They just whited Aretha and she ain't even cold yet...I hope she sends a thunderbolt to strike this blasphemy down... Whiteness has NO SHAME...

'Whoever at the #VMAs let Madonna get on stage and give a tribute to @ArethaFranklin or whatever that was really should be out of a job right about...now.'

The singer's speech focused widely on anecdotes from her own life - to the point that the audience clapped and cheered during one of the rare moments that the Think songstress' name was mentioned.

Shock: The 60-year-old singer took to the stage to honour the Respect singer, who tragically passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer last week aged 76, however many criticised the legendary singer for the content

The big reveal: The singer's speech focused widely on anecdotes from her own life - to the point that the audience clapped and cheered during one of the rare moments that the Think songstress' name was mentioned (the late star pictured in 1993)

Eccentric: Many viewers were disgruntled at the choice of Madonna to issue the tribute to the star

An excerpt of Madonna's Aretha tribute 'Aretha Louise Franklin changed the course of my life. I left Detroit when I was 18. Thirty-five dollars in my pocket. My dream was to make it as a professional dancer. After years of struggling and being broke, I decided to go to audition for musical theater; I heard the pay was better. I had no training or dreams ever, ever becoming a singer, but I went for it. I got cut and rejected from every audition. Not tall enough. Not blends-in enough... 'Not pretty enough, not enough, enough. Then, one day, a French disco sensation was looking for backup singers and dancers for a world tour. I thought, why not? I could go back to getting robbed, held at gunpoint and being mistaken for a prostitute in my third-floor walkup that was a crack house. I am a rebel, hard. So I set up for the audition. Two large French record producers sat in the empty theater, daring me to be amazing. The dance audition went well... 'They asked if I had sheet music and a song prepared. I panicked. I overlooked this important part of the process. I had to think fast. My next meal was on the line. Fortunately, one of my favorite albums was Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin. I blurted out. “You make me feel… you make me feel like an actual woman.” Two French guys shouted at me. “You know, by Aretha Franklin.” They looked over at the pianist. [I said] “I don’t need sheet music, I know every word. I know the song... 'I will sing it a cappella.” I could see they didn’t take me seriously. Why should they? Some skinny-a** white girl is going to come up here and belt out a song from one of the greatest soul singers ever, a cappella? I said, “B**ch, I’m Madonna.” No, I didn’t. Just kidding. I wasn’t “Madonna” yet. I don’t know who I was. I don’t know what came over me. I walked over and started. When I was finished, I was drenched in nerve sweat. You know what that nerve sweat?... 'They said, “We will call you one day, maybe soon.” Weeks went by. No phone call. Finally, the phone rang. It was one of the producers: “We don’t think you are right for this job.” “Why are you calling me?” He replied, “We think you have great potential. You are rough around the edges. We want to bring you to Paris and make you a star... 'We will put you in a studio, with the great Giorgio Moroder.” I had no idea who that was, but I wanted to live in Paris and I wanted to eat some food. So, that was the beginning of my journey as a singer. I left for Paris, but I came back a few months because I had not earned the life I was living. It felt wrong. They were good people. I wanted to write my own songs and be a musician, not a puppet. I needed to go home and learn guitar. That is what I did. And the rest is history... 'So, you are probably all wondering why I am telling you this story. There is a reason, because none of this would have happened, could have happened, without our lady of soul. She led me to where I am today. And I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight. In this room tonight. And I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the queen.' Advertisement

Madonna told stories about her own career highlights and low-lights, only returning to Aretha when she mentioned that she auditioned to one of her songs on her way to becoming a star in her own right.

She told the crowd: 'Aretha Louise Franklin changed the course of my life. I left Detroit when I was 18. Thirty-five dollars in my pocket. My dream was to make it as a professional dancer. After years of struggling and being broke, I decided to go to auditions for musical theater...

'I had no training or dreams of ever becoming a singer but I went for it. I got cut and rejected from every audition — not tall enough, not blend-in enough, not 12-octave range enough, not pretty enough. Not enough...

'And then one day a French disco sensation was looking for backup singers and dancers for his world tour. I thought, 'Why not? The worst that can happen is I can go back to getting robbed, held at gunpoint and being mistaken for a prostitute in my third floor walkup that was also a crackhouse.' That's right, I'm a Rebel Heart.'

(The 'French disco sensation' whom she auditioned to tour is likely Born To Be Alive singer Patrick Hernandez, who invited the young star on his 1979 world tour.)

Mad: Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, penned: 'They just whited Aretha and she ain't even cold yet...I hope she sends a thunderbolt to strike this blasphemy down... Whiteness has NO SHAME'

Damn: Radio and television personality Scottie Beam also didn't hold back when it came to expressing her thoughts on Madge's tribute

Thoughts of a rapper: Charlamagne Tha God was none too impressed

Ouch: Social media reaction to the tribute was swift and brutal

'Disrespect': Viewers took to social media to criticise the rambling speech, saying it was self-indulgent and did not focus enough on Franklin

Madonna went on: 'So I showed up for the audition and two very large French record producers sat in the empty theater, daring me to be amazing. The dance audition went well. Then they asked me if I had sheet music and a song prepared. I panicked. I had overlooked this important part of the audition process...

'I had to think fast, my next meal was on the line. Fortunately one of my favorite albums was Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin. I blurted out 'You Make Me Feel'… silence. '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.' Two French guys nodded at me. I said, 'You know, by Aretha Franklin.''

She continued: 'They looked over at the pianist, he shook his head. 'I don't need sheet music,' I said, 'I know every word. I know the song by heart, I will sing it a cappella.' I could see that they did not take me seriously — and why should they?

'Some skinny a** white girl is going to come up here and belt out a song by one of the greatest soul singers that ever lived? And a cappella … I said, 'B*tch, I'm Madonna.' No, I didn't, I didn't say that. 'Cause I wasn't Madonna yet. I don't know who I was. I don't know what I said, I don't know what came over me.'

Shock: She continued: 'They looked over at the pianist, he shook his head. 'I don't need sheet music,' I said, 'I know every word. I know the song by heart, I will sing it a cappella.' I could see that they did not take me seriously — and why should they' (pictured with Camila Cabelo)

Upsetting: She eventually concluded: 'So you're probably all wondering why I'm telling you this story. There's a connection, because none of this would've happened - could've happened - without our lady of soul'

Happy days: Madonna later lauded Camila Cabello with the Video Of The Year Award, for her video of Havana with ft. Young Thug

'I don't know I said. I don't know what came over me. I walked to the edge of the pitch black stage, and started singing. When I was finished and drenched in nerve sweat. You know what that is, right nerve sweat? They said, "We will call you one day, maybe soon." Weeks went by and no phone call.'

'Finally, the phone rang, it was one of the producers, saying. "We don't think you are right for this job." I'm like, "Motherf****r, why are you calling me?" He replied, "We think you have great potential.

'You are rough around the edges, but there is good rawness. We want to bring you to Paris and make you a star. Well, we will put you in a studio, with the great Giorgio Moroder." And I had no idea who that was, and I wanted to live in Paris and I wanted to eat some food.'

'So, that was the beginning of my journey as a singer. I left for Paris, but I came back a few months later. Because I had not earned the life I was living. It felt wrong. They were good people, but wanted to write my own songs and be a musician, not a puppet. I needed to go home and learn to play guitar, and that's exactly what I did. And the rest is history.'

Eye roll: Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Kandi Buruss was not a fan of the 'tribute' either

Have some Respect: 'So... Is this tribute for Aretha? Or are you just taking the opportunity to talk about yourself?' wrote Modern Family star Ariel Winter in her Instagram Story

She eventually concluded: 'So you're probably all wondering why I'm telling you this story. There's a connection, because none of this would've happened - could've happened - without our lady of soul...

'She led me to where I am today and I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight, in this room tonight, and I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the queen.

'Another anecdote I would like to share: In 1984, this is where the first VMAs were, in this very building. And I performed at this show. I sang Like a Virgin at the top of a cake.'

'And on my way down, I lost a shoe, and I was rolling on the floor and trying to make it look like it was part of the choreography, looking for the missing stilleto, and my dress flew up, and my butt was exposed, and oh my God, quelle horror.

'After the show, my manager said my career was over. LOL. So. I would now like to present the nominees for the video of the year.'

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: 'She led me to where I am today and I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight, in this room tonight, and I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the queen'

Viewers took to social media to criticise the rambling speech, saying it was self-indulgent and did not focus enough on Franklin.

Songwriter and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss rolled her eyes during an Instagram story as she said: 'Did Madonna just tell that long-ass f*cking story to say thank you to Aretha Franklin? She made that whole thing about her, when it should have just been about Aretha Franklin.'

Radio presenter and television personality Charlamagne Tha God tweeted: 'I'm so lost. I thought Madonna was supposed to be paying homage to Aretha but I all heard was her paying homage to herself. HEAVY on the Mayonnaise......'

'So... Is this tribute for Aretha? Or are you just taking the opportunity to talk about yourself?' wrote Modern Family star Ariel Winter in her Instagram Story.

Radio and television personality Scottie Beam also didn't hold back when it came to expressing her thoughts on Madge's tribute.

'That was so so so so so disrespectful,' wrote the New Yorker. 'Madonna gave herself a tribute featuring Aretha.' Others questioned why Madonna was chosen to deliver Franklin's tribute over artists who were more closely associated with her.

Posers: Nicki Minaj takes to social media with the Swept Away star

Are you gonna go my way? Madonna posed with Lenny Kravitz on social media too

Self(ie) absorbed: Another backstage photo with the woman known casually as 'Madge'

Users continued: 'Madonna making Aretha’s tribute about herself is honestly an inspiration to Leos everywhere... Way to make the Aretha tribute all about you, Madonna. #VMAs #Narcissist... Why would Madonna be given the honor of giving the VMA tribute to #ArethaFranklin? Aretha stood by Detroit, Madonna ditched it...

'Madonna is not R&B or Soul??? WTF? Did Aretha even care for Madonna? We're they friends?... #VMAs2018 did Aretha wrong... that Madonna tribute is the most awful and disrespectful tribute ever done to a LEGEND...

'Madonna: Time to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin... But first let me tell you my sad story of how my career started and mention Aretha once in the whole speech.'

'For the record, I LOVE Madonna. I´m a huge fan. She just shouldn´t be anywhere near Aretha. She shouldn´t be Aretha adjacent,' political and cultural commentator Marc Lamont Hill wrote on Twitter.

Her death last week brought tributes ranging from former President Barack Obama and Elton John to Carole King, Barbara Streisand and Lionel Richie.

Headed up: She was preparing for her turn on stage shortly before she was hit with the criticism

Ahem! For avid fans of the star, her cheeky kiss with Nicki backstage will undoubtedly bring back memories of her famed performance with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 VMAs (right)

Shocker: The trio performed a wedding-themed act that was a nod to her performance from the 1984 award show. The group gave a medley of Madonna's hits before she engaged in the kisses that stunned the showbiz world

Saucy! It seems Madonna has something of a penchant for getting loose-lipped at the awards show

Cheeky! Nicki appeared to enjoy being kissed by the legendary singer, following their collaboration on 2015 track 'B***h I'm Madonna'

Giddy: The duo were larking around backstage as they hit the rapper's Instagram feed behind the scenes

Madonna was not only causing controversy on the stage but also behind-the-scenes as she opted to lock lips with her one-time collaborator Nicki Minaj in a saucy video shot backstage.

For avid fans of the star, her cheeky kiss backstage will undoubtedly bring back memories of her famed performance with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 VMAs.

The trio performed a wedding-themed act that was a nod to her performance from the 1984 award show. The group gave a medley of Madonna's hits before she engaged in the kisses that stunned the showbiz world.

Not exactly travelling light: Madonna was seen at Newark Airport in New Jersey earlier in the day... accompanied by a lot of luggage

Incognito... kinda: Madonna tried to cover her famous face, but given it was with a rainbow shawl it wasn't exactly inconspicuous

Pippi Longstocking: Madonna rocked twin braids for her stroll through the airport