Fergie [1] performed a blues version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles [2] on Sunday, and people had a lot to say about it. Retired basketball player and Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley joked he "needed a cigarette" [3] after the 42-year-old's performance, while Shaquille O'Neal came to her defense [4], saying, "Fergie [5], I love you. It was different. It was sexy. I liked it. Leave her alone," according to ESPN. When the singer finished her version of the song, she got a huge cheers from the audience, and she said, "Let's play some basketball!" The internet had a lot of feelings about the whole thing. Keep scrolling to see her performance and how some players reacted.
Fergie Singing "The Star Spangled Banner"
