Franklin not sharing her throne

When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words.

The Queen of Soul has slammed Beyonce Knowles’ introduction of Tina Turner at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, “the queen.”

“I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce,” Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist this week. “However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy.”

E-mails to Knowles’ publicist and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen were not immediately returned.

In the first few seconds of Knowles’ introduction to Turner’s performance, televised from the Staples Center by CBS, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the “Crazy in Love” chanteuse focused on Turner.

“There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent,” said Knowles. “Ladies and gentlemen, stand on your feet and give it up for the queen.”

Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, “love to Beyonce anyway.”

Known for such hits as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools,” Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet “Never Gonna Break My Faith” with Mary J. Blige.