Prince Death Update: Madonna Claps Back, BET Throws Shade [VIDEO]

By Char Little

Madonna has a few words to say after fans blasted her for an arguably underwhelming Prince tribute at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards Sunday night.

She shared a snapshot of her rocking all purple on Instagram Monday. She added the caption, “Anyone who wants to do a tribute to Prince is welcome to. Whatever your age Gender or skin Color. If you loved him and he inspired you then show it!!!! I love Prince 4 ever”

Anyone who wants to do a tribute to Prince is welcome to. Whatever your age Gender or skin Color. If you loved him and he inspired you then show it!!!! I love Prince 4 ever @beautyandessexlv

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 23, 2016 at 7:22am PDT

Madonna added the same photo with the caption, “Deal with it!” just hours before.

Deal with It! @beautyandessexlv A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 23, 2016 at 1:04am PDT

See what else she had to say about her tribute, in which Stevie Wonder joined her, in her photos from Instagram below.

In Loving Memory of ................

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 22, 2016 at 12:29am PDT

Dearly Beloved we are gathered here today to get through. This thing called LIFE Nothing Compares 2U A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 22, 2016 at 9:09pm PDT

An Epic Moment for Me to sing in honor of Prince with Stevie Wonder. #luckiestgirlintheworld

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 22, 2016 at 9:13pm PDT

Such an AmaaaaaaaaaaIng Moment for Me! Thanks to all who made it happen!!! . A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 22, 2016 at 10:02pm PDT

His Purple Heart was there in spirit. Long may He Reign!

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on May 22, 2016 at 10:06pm PDT

It looks like one network is taking Madonna’s advice to do its own tribute. None other than BET threw tons of shade at the performance just after it aired. It uploaded a video with the words, “Yeah we saw that. Don’t worry. We got you.”

#BETAwards #PrinceTribute pic.twitter.com/VTNYE0POvD — BET (@BET) May 23, 2016

Still, not everyone was unimpressed with Madonna’s performance. Celine Dion defended her fellow singer and clapped it up for Madonna amid all of the criticism.
Billboard caught up with a teary-eyed Dion, who had just delivered her own emotional tribute to her late husband Rene Angelil.
“Madonna did an incredible job…[And] Stevie Wonder. The first album I bought in my life was Stevie Wonder. I’ve been singing ‘Purple Rain’ for a year onstage. Prince came to me [and] asked how it was to perform in Las Vegas a little while ago. He did many performances. He wrote me a song.”

Questlove, who introduced Madonna on Sunday, also had a few words to say about her performance. See it below.

because of P's well known love for the *poof* vanishing act. A lot of us are left feeling incomplete in the act of saying goodbye.

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

For starters it's hard to accept him no longer being here. & in the upcoming award season for '17 there will be a gang of tributes — Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

Naturally there will be folded arms & shade thrown because the Purple Standard is hard boots to fill & a lot of us don't wanna come 2 grips

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

---w the fact that Prince--(an on the surface) face of health & invincible agelessness subcomb to something so....friggin basic — Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

So w mourning will come sadness & anger. 1st week I cried. 2nd week I tried to atone for his sins w gettin 8-10 hrs of sleep he didn't get

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

Now anger is in the air w who (in our eyes) is allowed to mourn & how they are allowed to mourn.---none of us were prepared for his death — Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

So I know there is gonna be ALOT of "feel a certain ways" about who you want to see do his music justice---but you gotta put that aside yall

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

Every Prince rendition will not be a life changing orgasmic xperience. Just to SING his work is brave enough. Again feeling are on high — Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

And EVERYBODY wants and deserves a chance to say goodbye in their own way. But remember: there will be AMAs, SoulTrain, NAACP, mtv, GRAMMYS

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

And a gazillion other tributes. But the point is let's not get ugly w playing the "Prince would and wouldn't approve" game. — Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016

It's hard editing and ranting and running in airport. I didn't realize my gate bout to close. Don't wanna get fired in the name of Prince

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) May 23, 2016