When word got out Jamie Foxx would perform the National Anthem at the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, many assumed a top notch version of the Star Spangled Banner would be sung by the Academy Award winner.
Instead, Foxx delivered the remix of all remixes with his version of the nation’s jingle, and since the internet has no home training or chill, Foxx took a beating for it.
But don’t think the opinions of others is getting him down. While doing press for his latest album Hollywood: A Story Of A Dozen Roses, Foxx sat with Access Hollywood to discuss Saturday night’s performance and to inform the masses there was a technical snafu that led to his botched rendition.
“First of all, everybody calm down,” Foxx says. “We had a little bit of a situation with our ear pieces. The [ear] pack actually dropped off, so I couldn’t, you know… I can’t hear what’s playing, so I just had to go on my own. Hopefully they understand. It’s just the national anthem.”
The 47 year old actor continued by saying he thinks folks just want something to talk about since the fight was so “exciting.”
“I think a little bit was just people wanted to have something to talk about,” he said jokingly. “But everything’s cool and the national anthem will be on my album and I’m gonna do whatever the hell I want to.”
Jamie Foxx isn’t the first celeb to butcher the Star Spangled Banner and certainly won’t be the last. However, don’t sleep, Foxx can definitely sing and has been known to turn even the most peculiar of songs into smooth rhythm and blues joints. Check out Foxx’s hilarious 2007 rendition of the Brady Bunch during his “I Might Need Security” stand up.