Tina Turner fans have criticized Beyoncé and Jay-Z for alluding to the late star’s abuse at the hands of her husband Ike Turner in their 2013 hit “Drunk In Love.”
The ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ singer, real name Anna Mae Bullock, died Wednesday at her home in Switzerland at the age of 83 of complications from an unspecified illness, which led to Jay- Z’s lyrics came under the spotlight.
In the title of her 2013 album of the same name, Jay raps, “I’m Ike, Turner, turn up / Baby no I don’t play / Now eat the cake, Anna Mae / I said eat the cake, Anna Mae.”
The lyrics reference a scene in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, in which an argument between Tina (played by Angela Bassett) and Ike (played by Lawrence Fishburne) becomes physical and he forces her to break up with him ordered him to eat cake at a diner.
After Beyoncé’s insinuations that Tina was her music idol, Twitter was flooded with fan anger. Users wrote, “Drunk In Love was a tragic example of the incomparable #TinaTurner being mocked and her abuse dismissed.”
Slammed: Tina Turner fans slammed Beyoncé and Jay-Z for pointing out the late star’s abuse at the hands of her husband Ike Turner in their 2013 hit ‘Drunk In Love’ (Beyoncé in the ‘Drunk In Love’ video pictured)
Heartbreak: The ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ singer, real name Anna Mae Bullock, died at her home in Switzerland on Wednesday at the age of 83 of complications from an unspecified illness (Tina pictured in 2009 ).
Slammed: The lyrics reference a scene in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, where a verbal argument between Tina (played by Angela Bassett) and Ike (played by Lawrence Fishburne) turns physical and he forces her to eat the cake he ordered at a diner (Angela and Lawrence pictured in the film)
Abominable: After Beyoncé’s insinuations that Tina was her music idol, Twitter was flooded with fan anger. Users wrote, “Drunk In Love was a tragic example of the incomparable #TinaTurner being mocked and her abuse dismissed.”
Fans flocked to Twitter to write, “I still can’t get over Jay Z saying ‘Eat the pie Anna Mae eat the pie’ on ‘Drunk In Love’.” When I found out that it was a reference to Ike forcing Tina to literally eat cake… what a damn shame…
“Still mad at Beyoncé and Jay Z over that Tina Turner abuse allegation…I love Bey but she gets on my nerves sometimes.” How is Tina Turner one of your biggest inspirations, but did you agree that Jay Z used this line in “Drunk in Love”?
“I was so disgusted when I took the hint. I stopped listening to Drunk in Love for that reason alone… “Drunk In Love” was a tragic example of the incomparable #TinaTurner being mocked and her abuse dismissed…
“While Jay Z sang the lyrics poking fun at Tina, #Beyoncé apparently co-signed for Tina’s horrific abuse to be made a laughing stock and included this song on her album…”
“When I think about Tina’s legacy, I’ve always been surprised and disappointed that somehow it always became a joke that she was a domestic violence survivor, especially in rap music…
Ouch: A video from a Beyoncé fansite showed the star enthusiastically meeting Tina before they performed together at the 2008 Grammy Awards
“That’s one of the reasons I don’t play Drunk in Love a lot, because of Jay Z’s verse + his ‘eat the cake’ reference… I’ll never forget when Jay Z poked fun at Tina’s abuse in Drunk in Love…
A video from a Beyoncé fansite showed the star enthusiastically meeting Tina before they performed together at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
In response to the video, another Twitter user wrote, “This video makes it even more disappointing that Jay Z disrespected Tina Turner and took her abuse lightly in Drunk in Love.” .”
The criticism comes after she was criticized again last year for using insults for the disabled in her track Heated, co-written with Canadian rapper Drake.
Disability rights advocates criticized the singer for using the words “spaz” and “spazzin” from the song. She then changed the lyrics of the song with her representatives, stating, “The word that is not intentionally used in a harmful manner will be replaced.”
Slammed: Beyoncé and Tina performed together at the 2008 Grammys
Sweet: The 41-year-old singer shared a heartwarming message on her website just hours after it was announced that the Proud Mary hitmaker had passed away at her home in Switzerland
Following the news of her death, Beyonce paid tribute to her music icon, Tina, in a touching post by posting a heartwarming message on her website just hours after announcing the Proud Mary hitmaker’s death.
“My beloved queen. “I love you endlessly,” she wrote. “I am so grateful for your inspiration and all the paths you paved the way.” You are strength and resilience. “You are the epitome of power and passion.”
“We are all so happy to have witnessed your kindness and your wonderful spirit that will live on forever,” Beyoncé continued. “Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
Beloved: Beyonce has often credited Tina as her biggest musical inspiration
Beyonce often credits Tina as her greatest musical inspiration.
Beyonce paid tribute to Tina during her Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in 2015. The duo also graced the stage together for an iconic duet at the Grammy Awards in 2008.
The soul divas wowed audiences when Turner came out of retirement to perform a duet with the R&B singer. It was Turner’s first concert appearance in more than seven years.
Turner and Beyonce, who was 26 at the time, roused audiences with a lively version of Proud Mary, for which Turner won a Grammy in 1972.
After their performance together, she said, “This is literally a dream for me because she’s the ultimate.” “To actually be on stage with her is crazy.”
Turner’s death at the age of 83 was announced on Wednesday. The singer died after a long, unspecified illness at her home in Küsnach near Zurich, Switzerland.
Her representatives announced the news with the words: “With her, the world is losing a music legend and role model.”
On April 9, in what will probably be her last public speech, she told the Guardian that she hoped the world would remember her – and that she was not afraid of death.