Mary J. Blige failed to adequately cover Chaka Khan’s song “Sweet Thing” in 1992, in Chaka Khan’s opinion.
While Chaka Khan was a member of the band “Rufus” in 1973, the original R&B soul ballad burst onto the scene.
A few years later, Blige made the decision to include her own rendition of the song on her self-titled first album.
Rumors that Chaka Khan had referred to her colleague’s version as “the song Mary J. Blige f—-ed up” sparked a spat between the two iconic divas shortly after.
Ads
In 2007, they finally patched things up, even working together on the song “Disrespectful.”
Although their relationship has improved, the Queen of Funk said that the “rumor” was real in an interview with Andrew Goldman for Los Angeles magazine’s “The Originals” podcast.
She stated, “I didn’t say it out in public, but I might have said that to her,” at 29:47. Mary J. Blige was informed by me that she f—ed it up.
Khan acknowledged that Blige’s 52-year-old “vocals sounded flat” when asked why she thought the singer didn’t do her favorite ballad justice.
“I asked her I said what time did you, when did you, what time of day was it a night? What were you doing when you decided to cover ‘Sweet Things’ where were you at when you covered it?”
She then imitated Blige’s answer, “Oh girl, I been up all late, and it was at 8 o’clock in the morning girl.”
Khan suggested that she told Blige, “Like girl you don’t sing nothing at 8 o’clock in the mother f—-g morning. Especially if you have to get up to sing it.”
She continued, “If you woulda been up all night, smoking crack or something I don’t know, might’ve been different, a whole different thing. But you don’t get up at 8 o’clock in the morning to sing girl.”
Khan said that she and Blige have a strong relationship and can be honest with one another before the conversation veered off subject.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings