Beyonce is honoring Tina Turner for her trailblazing contributions despite facing criticism from fans the previous day for allegedly trivializing Turner’s history of domestic abuse.
During her “Renaissance” tour in Paris on Friday, the 41-year-old singer urged the enthusiastic audience to express their love for Turner through their screams.
“If you’re a fan of mine, you’re a fan of Tina Turner,” Beyonce said.
“Cause I wouldn’t be on this stage without Tina Turner.”
“I feel so blessed that I was alive to witness her brilliance. I also feel very blessed to be here to perform once again.”
Unfortunately, the tribute comes amidst controversy as a song lyric resurfaced on Twitter, causing backlash from Turner’s fans.
The lyrics in question are from the hit song “Drunk In Love,” where Beyonce’s husband, Jay-Z, references Ike Turner and makes a mention of “eating the cake, Anna Mae.”
This line allegedly alludes to a real-life incident involving Turner, whose birth name is Anna Mae Bullock, and a cake dispute with Ike Turner.
While Beyonce’s tribute to Tina Turner was heartfelt, it coincides with the criticism she faced for the song lyric, which some fans found disrespectful towards Turner’s history of abuse.
“Reflecting on Tina’s legacy, I’ve always been surprised + disappointed how her being a domestic violence survivor somehow always turned into a joke, esp. in rap music,” a social media user wrote.
“That’s one reason I don’t play Drunk in Love often, because of Jay Z’s verse + his reference to ‘eat the cake.’”
Another added: “A reminder that Jay-Z and Beyonce on ‘Drunk in Love’ say these words, mocking Tina Turner (Anna Mae) being beaten up by Ike Turner, & ref the moment he pushed her face into her celebration cake to abuse her.”
