Chaka Khan, the legendary singer, has recently criticized Rolling Stone’s list of the world’s greatest singers. In a podcast interview with Andrew Goldman on his “The Originals” podcast for Los Angeles Magazine, Khan expressed her disagreement with the editors of Rolling Stone, whom she referred to as “blind bitches” and “children of Helen Keller,” for ranking her at No. 29 on their “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” list, behind Adele and Mary J. Blige.
Khan’s criticism of the list sparked a debate among music fans and ignited a feud between divas over the rankings. In the interview, Khan complained about the rankings, stating, “These are blind bitches! They are blind as a motherf–king bat! They need hearing aids… These must be the children of Helen Keller!” Her comments on the ranking of the singers on the list were not limited to her own ranking, but extended to other singers as well.
Khan was particularly critical of Mariah Carey, who was ranked at No. 5. Khan jokingly alleged, “That must be payola or some s–t like that.” On the other hand, she gave singers such as Beyoncé and Aretha Franklin high praise. Khan mused about Aretha Franklin, who topped the list at No. 1, “As she f–king should be. Thank you there’s justice somewhere!”
When asked about Adele being ranked at 22, Khan just threw up her hands, quipping, “OK, I quit.” Khan also criticized folkie Joan Baez, who hit the list at No. 189. “Let’s be honest, the bitch cannot sing!” she said, while admitting, “Now she was a good writer.”
Khan, however, was proud of Whitney Houston’s ranking at No. 2, claiming that she introduced Houston to music mogul Clive Davis and the music business. She said, “I made her mother bring her down to the studio and sing background with me. Her and Luther Vandross. They both sang background for me on my albums.”
Throughout the interview, Khan’s opinions were candid and direct, as she did not hold back when it came to her thoughts on the ranking of the world’s greatest singers. However, she did mention that she had not heard of the Rolling Stone list prior to the interview, stating, “I didn’t even know what the hell you were talking about, so obviously this doesn’t mean a great deal to me.” She concluded, “These people don’t quantify or validate me in any way.”
Khan’s comments on Rolling Stone’s list of the world’s greatest singers sparked a debate among music fans on social media, with some agreeing with her and others disagreeing. However, her opinion on the rankings is just that, an opinion, and it is subjective.
Khan’s criticism of the list, however, highlights the issue of how rankings in the music industry are subjective and can lead to disputes and feuds among artists. It also raises the question of whether such rankings are necessary or even helpful in the music industry.
