Chaka Khan Upsets Social Media After Seemingly Dissing Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, & Adele For Being Ranked Higher Than Her On Rolling Stone’s ‘Best Singers Of All Time’ List: They Need Hearing Aids

Chaka Khan Upsets Social Media After Seemingly Dissing Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, & Adele For Being Ranked Higher Than Her On Rolling Stone’s ‘Best Singers Of All Time’ List: They Need Hearing Aids

It’s safe to say, everyone’s proclaimed industry auntie, Ms. Chaka Khan, isn’t afraid to speak what’s on her mind–be it in or out of the booth!

Recently, legendary songstress Chaka Khan sat down for an interview and shared some (very much so) controversial opinions about fellow singers Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Adele.

Chaka Khan

If you didn’t know, on New Year’s Day, Rolling Stone released their ‘200 Best Singers of All Time’ list, and Chaka Khan happened to be placed at #29 on the diverse register. While the ‘Queen of Funk’ celebrated the late Aretha Franklin for leading the index, Whitney Houston for coming in at #2, and Beyonce for holding down the #8 spot, she wasn’t too congratulatory about (some) of her other female predecessors.

Aretha Franklin

Whitney Houston

Beyonce?

Mariah Carey accompanied Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Beyonce in the ‘Top 10’ by taking the #5 spot, with Adele falling a few steps behind at #22 and Mary J. Blige at #25.

When asked about the placements, during the now-viral podcast, 69-year-old Khan blatantly said she didn’t necessarily agree with the editors’ choice of ranking. But… for the ‘I Feel for You’ icon (whose career spans over a number of decades), she doesn’t seem to view any of it as an indicator of the impact her work has long had in the music game.

“These are somebody’s opinions, correct? That’s all I have to say. I feel honored; however, it’s not going to take me over any moon because these people don’t quantify or validate me… in any way.”

Chaka Khan

She continued by stating that she believes that comparison lists from publications like Rolling Stone only serve as a way to spark a sense of competition.

“See, what people who are doing lists like that really want to do–it seems to me, that could be wrong, but I doubt it–is that they are trying to — in some way, maybe not knowingly but trying to — put us on a hate list where, ‘Oh, they’re better than me, so I should feel some kind of way.’ That’s ridiculous! I refuse to be in a space where I look at my fellow artists [like that]. They’re trying to pit us against each other.”

However, Khan was quick to mention that she’s “not good with Mariah Carey’s” position on the catalog. She simply told the host:

“That must be payola or some sh*t.”

Mariah Carey

As for Adele, who is still being (highly) praised for the release of her 2021 album ’30,’ a comically frank Khan wanted to retire from offering her viewpoint on the names that were called from the list, indicating that she wasn’t on board with that decision either.

“Okay, I quit.”

But… after hearing that her “dear friend” Mary J. Blige was ahead of her, Khan couldn’t bite her tongue much any longer. She replied,

“Oh, you know what, that’s why I feel the way I do!” These are blind bat b*tches! These b*tches are blind as a m*therf*cking bat! They need hearing aids. They don’t have hearing aids, they don’t have no eyes, they don’t have no ears! These must be the children of Helen Keller!”

Mary J. Blige

Later in the conversation, she addressed the “Good Morning Gorgeous” phenomenon’s 1992 cover of her classic hit (with her band, Rufus), “Sweet Thing.” According to Khan, she felt that Blige butchered the song and had no problem telling her that she did!

“I told Mary J. Blige [that] she f*cked [‘Sweet Thing’] up. Number one, her vocals were flat. And I told her. I asked her, I said, ‘What time of day was it or night, what were you doing when you decided to cover ‘Sweet Thing,’ where were you at when you covered it?’ [Blige replied] ‘Oh, girl, I had been up all late and I was [up] at eight o’clock in the morning, girl.'”

She went on,

“I said, girl, you don’t sing nothing at eight o’clock in the m*therf*cking morning–especially if you have to get up to sing it. If you would’ve been up all night, smoking crack or something –I don’t know, might’ve been a whole different thing.”

Chaka Khan

In conclusion to her statement, Khan did make it clear that it was all in love, and she and Blige have an honest bond. The legend detailed:

“She and I have that kind of relationship, we can talk.”

That was proven when the two linked up for her 2007 bop “Disrespectful.”

The timeline is in shambles after #ChakaKhan shared what she said to her "good friend" Mary J. Blige.
ChakaKhan says she had no difficulty informing #MaryJ. Blige that she was dissatisfied with her cover of “Sweet Thing.” (?: @lamag) pic.twitter.com/DwQ4TyZBRO

— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) March 2, 2023

Ultimately, Khan was surprised to know that she outranked the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson and Diana Ross on Rolling Stone’s ticket, alluding that she didn’t think she deserved to. Megastar Gwen Stefani, however, (who also graded lower on the poll) was just considered “alright” in her book.

Social media has since doubled down on Khan’s words! This is what they had to say about it all:

Do you agree with Chaka Khan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

[VIA]