As you probably know, Aretha Franklin, also known as the Queen of Soul, recently passed away after her battle with pancreatic cancer. So naturally, during the Video Music Awards, Madonna wanted to give a tribute about her.

However, as the famous singer took the stage to present the nominees for 2018 Video of the Year and honor Aretha, the tribute quickly took a back seat when she started giving a speech essentially all about herself. At least, that’s how it was perceived by many angry viewers.

“Aretha Louise Franklin changed the course of my life,” Madonna started off—a strong start, we’d say. But it quickly ended there. Madonna went on to talk about basically how she got started as Madonna. There was a little Aretha tidbit in there, but honestly, it seemed a little disconnected and thrown together.

“I left Detroit when I was 18, $35 dollars in my pocket,” Madonna went on to say. “My dream was to make it as a professional dancer. After years of struggling and being broke, I decided to go to auditions for musical theater. I heard the pay was better. I had no training or dreams of ever becoming a singer, but I went for it.”

She then went on to explain how she faced rejection after rejection before going into detail about singing one of Aretha’s greatest hits “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman” by heart and impressed two big-name French record producers.

“So. You are probably all wondering why I am telling you this story. There is a connection,” Madonna concluded after continuing about how that was the beginning of her journey as a singer, getting to the elephant in the room that everyone was thinking.

“Because none of this would have happened, could have happened, without our lady of soul. She led me to where I am today. And I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight. In this room tonight. And I want to thank you, Aretha, for empowering all of us. R-e-s-p-e-c-t. Long live the queen,” she said.

Yes, we can sort of see how she tried to tie in how Aretha basically helped her become who she is today, but no one was really buying it. It didn’t really feel like quite the authentic connection she was going for.

People were actually pretty pissed about it. Viewers started calling her out all over social media about how disrespectful they thought her so-called “tribute” was.

“Madonna REALLY went out there in her best cultural appropriation outfit to talk about Queen Aretha Franklin? IS THIS REAL LIFE?!?!?!? #VMAS,” someone wrote on Twitter.

“I hope the vmas plan to issue a public apology for allowing Madonna to disrespect Aretha Franklin’s legacy like that #VMAs,” Someone else wrote.

“Aretha Franklin’s Tribute at the #VMAs: 1. Madonna talks about herself, at length, with Aretha as a footnote. 2. “Respect” is played at the very end. 3. A photo of Aretha with ‘1942-2018.’ Bro, what? Disrespectful,” another said.

We know Madonna probably had good intentions, but we can’t help but feel like she didn’t quite make her point as clearly as she hoped, and just came off a little self-centered and discourteous.

To hear some of her speech and even more angry tweet backlash about it, check out the video below.

What did you think of Madonna’s speech? Do you think she had good intentions or she was just trying to share a story about herself?