Why Etta James Wasn't Impressed With Beyonc

Initially, Etta James seemed pleased with Beyoncé's portrayal of her in "Cadillac Records." In 2008, James even walked the red carpet with Beyoncé when "Cadillac Records" first hit the theaters, per MTV. However, by the time Beyoncé sang "At Last" at Barack Obama's Inauguration, James may have added herself to the list of celebrities who hate Beyoncé. A few weeks later, in February 2009, James reportedly made some rather disparaging comments about Beyoncé while performing live. "I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song, she gonna get her a** whipped," said James. "The great Beyoncé. Now like I said, she ain't mine. I can't stand Beyoncé! She had no business up there singing. Singing on a big ole, big ole president day and going be singing my song that I've been singing forever" (via The Telegraph). 

As expected, James' comments garnered a great deal of attention. Interestingly enough, James later retracted her statements and claimed that she was actually joking. "I didn't really mean anything," James explained to the New York Daily News. "Even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude. ... That's probably what went into it." James also shared that she felt a bit slighted about not being able to sing her own song (via MTV).

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