*After pics of Aretha Franklin looking shockingly thin surfaced earlier this month, the Internet became concerned that the Queen of Soul may be suffering from some sort of grave illness.
Entertainment reporter Shaun Robinson, who has interviewed Franklin many times, says she spoke to a friend of the family that has denied the rumors.
“Good Morning, Everyone. I just spoke to one of Ms. Franklin’s family friends in my hometown of Detroit,” Robinson tweeted Tuesday morning. “They spoke to Aretha moments ago and asked me to tell you please don’t believe this news that was trending. Have a good day.”
Good Morning, Everyone. I just spoke to one of Ms. Franklin’s family friends in my hometown Detroit. They spoke to Aretha moments ago and asked me to tell you please don’t believe this news that was trending. Have a good day. https://t.co/3LTyD4UlEH
— Shaun Robinson (@shaunrobinson) November 21, 2017
Franklin, 75, began trending on Twitter with murmurs she was on her deathbed after she appeared gaunt while performing at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Fall Gala in New York on Nov. 7.
This isn’t the first time social media believed Franklin was close to death. In 2011, stories surfaced she was fighting pancreatic cancer.
Speaking to Robinson back then, Franklin said, “I don’t know where ‘pancreatic cancer’ came from. I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that. No one in my family ever said that to anybody.”
She did, however, acknowledge she was experiencing some health issues.
In February, Franklin announced she was retiring from music but planned to release one more album. She also plans to open up a nightclub called Aretha’s.
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