Star ripped for ‘unacceptable’ anthem fail
Chaka Khan was brutally mocked on social media after singing the American national anthem before the NBA All-Star game in Chicago.
The soul icon's rendition of The Star Spangled Banner didn't hit the right notes in everyone's book and basketball fans were quick to poke fun at the 66-year-old.
As one particularly cruel social media user wrote: "More like Chaka Khan't."
CHECK OUT KHAN'S RENDITION IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
Wait, what. No. That was universally awful and unacceptable.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 17, 2020
Wait, someone sat through a soundcheck of this National Anthem and still allowed it to go on?
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 17, 2020
More like Chaka Khan’t. That was terrible. #NBAAllStar2020
— Jamison Coyle (@JamisonCoyle) February 17, 2020
I love Chaka Khan but WTH was that?
— Lawrence B. Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) February 17, 2020
Chaka Khan’s #AllStarGame National Anthem was so bad that by the end of it she was just kind of making up new notes
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 17, 2020
Everyone who just sat through that Chaka Khan version of the national anthem?
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) February 17, 2020
“I feel for you...”#AllStar2020
They said Chaka Khan was going to sing the national Anthem but I don’t know what she just sang... it was not good. #NBAAllStarGame
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) February 17, 2020
Khan's anthem - and the savage reaction that followed - brought back memories of former Black Eyed Peas star Fergie singing the national anthem at the 2018 All-Star game.
Just like Khan, Fergie was accused of butchering The Star Spangled Banner a couple of years ago and later said she "tried her best" by taking a risk and attempting "something special for the NBA".
Unfortunately for Khan, whose solo effort lasted two minutes and 21 seconds, her rather unpopular display came after classy performances from rapper Common and Jennifer Hudson.
But despite Khan's flop, NBA legend Reggie Miller told TNT during the first quarter the pre-game entertainment combination of Common, Hudson and emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant made the 2020 pre-game show the best entertainment he has ever seen during an NBA All-Star Weekend.
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Hudson paid tribute to LA Lakers legend Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash last month along with and seven other people, with a stunning vocal performance.
Her voice had hairs standing up on the back of necks and was accompanied by a montage of Bryant that played on screens around the stadium.
Hudson's tribute came after Lakers icon Magic Johnson took the microphone and asked players from both teams to stand together and hold hands before the United Center shared an eight-second moment of silence - in memory of Bryant's jersey number when he first started his NBA career.
Common also paid tribute to Bryant and celebrated Chicago's basketball history.
Jennifer Hudson sang her heart out in a tribute to Kobe and Gigi 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XVATcBBkyI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 17, 2020