On Monday (Aug. 13), news broke that the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was “gravely ill.” The “Respect” singer, 76, endured a longtime battle with cancer and her family and representatives asked the global community for their prayers.
To commemorate her legacy and presence, Beyonce and JAY-Z dedicated their On The Run II tour stop in Detroit, Mich., to the legendary musician. According to a tweet published by Ford Field, where the Carters performed on Monday evening (Aug. 13), Beyonce said, “This show is dedicated to Aretha Franklin. We love you and thank you.” The Motor City is where Franklin was born and currently resides.
Before the Carters took center stage, DJ Khaled’s set also paid tribute to Franklin when he played her 1967 classic “Respect.”
After performing the opening song with Jay-Z, Beyoncé said: “This show is dedicated to Aretha Franklin,” while also saying, “We love you and thank you” #OTII #Detroit
— Ford Field (@fordfield) August 14, 2018
DJ Khaled tribute to Aretha Franklin before exiting the stage on a bird scooter pic.twitter.com/w5WRDAN5GE
— Graham Davis (@grahamdavis) August 14, 2018
In 2015, when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee was promoting her Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics album, she stopped by The Meredith Vieira Show to voice her thoughts on Beyonce’s work ethic.
According to CNN, Franklin is currently in hospice care. “She has a great family, she’s surrounded by love, and the world is sending prayers,” Roger Friedman of Showbiz 411 told the news site. “All further announcements will be made by her family. We just want to send love and prayers.”
READ MORE: Aretha Franklin Battling Cancer, Surrounded By Family In Detroit