Chaka Khan was "insulted" when Kanye West sampled one of her songs.
The 66-year-old singer gave permission for the rapper to use her 1985 track ‘Through the Fire’ on his breakthrough song ‘Through the Wire’ – which he recorded with his jaw wired shut following a car accident – after his story "got [her] heart" but she was less than impressed when she heard the finished single.
Appearing on ‘Watch What Happens Live’, host Andy Cohen asked Chaka: "How did the conversations go with Kanye when he used your song ‘Through the Fire’ on ‘Through the Wire?’ "
She replied: "Very differently than the song turned out."
Asked if that meant she was not happy with the song, she said: "No.
"He called me when he got out of the hospital. He said, ‘You were so instrumental in my healing process. I had to change the words a little bit to the song, but I had to eat through a wire, you know, and I was wired shut, through a straw.’
"It meant that much to me, and it really got my heart."
When she heard the song for the first time, the ‘Ain’t Nobody’ hitmaker was furious when she heard the hook had been extremely sped up.
She said: "I was p**ed. I was a little insulted — not insulted, I thought it was stupid."
The ‘I Feel For You’ singer went on to admit that if she’d known Kanye planned to change her vocals, she would have said "hell no" to him sampling her original song.
However, Chaka – who admitted she’s made money from ‘Through the Wire’ – has never told the ‘Stronger’ hitmaker how she felt.
She explained: "I mean, what can I say?"
Chaka Khan ‘insulted’ by Kanye West sample
