Chaka Khan opens up about the racism she faced throughout her career.
In an interview with Guard released on Saturday, May 11, the R&B superstar, 71, detailed the challenging experience she faced during her time in the funk band Rufus.
“When Rufus first came out, it was all white guys and me, but then the band changed and Tony Maiden, Bobby Watson and Andre Fischer came in,” Khan said of the group’s members. “This guy booked us for a show in Illinois, based on our original album cover, and when we got there he said there were too many black people in the band.”
She added, “He actually put some white people on stage with us.”
Chaka Khan says she ‘won’t go on another tour’: ‘I’ve got this rich life’
Formed in Chicago, Rufus was one of the most influential funk bands of the 70s. The band earned four No. 1 R&B albums and 10 top 40 pop hits and launched Khan’s solo career.
In December, the “Ain’t Nobody” artist revealed Rolling stone that he “won’t go on another tour” for the rest of his career. While the music legend said she has no plans to retire from performing live — at least for now — she’s done with the tour bus now that she has “this rich life.”
“Some people, that’s all they got, you know?” Khan said of the tour to the publication. “I have this rich life. I have great-grandchildren that I want to get to know better. So I’m not going on another tour.”
She continued: “I will have dates, but it won’t feel like a tour. They will be far enough apart that I can have time to sleep in between.”
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Chaka Khan in New York in October 2022 Roy Rochlin/Getty Chaka Khan shares her key life lessons ahead of her 70th birthday: ‘She’s bigger than you’
Khan also clarified why touring no longer fits her lifestyle.
“Riding by bus, peeing in a small bathroom, waking up in the morning and you are five hours from the hotel where you can take a bath or shower and go to bed like a normal human being. And then that night you got a gig,” she explained.
Khan continued: “It’s bloody crazy. It was just crazy. It’s like being a truck driver and a contractor. It’s as lonely as any exit.”
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Source: HIS Education