The Queen of Soul had one rule - she would get paid in cash before she performed - on the spot - or she would not sing.
Franklin insisted on being paid in cash because she grew up in an era where Black other artists like BB King and Ray Charles were swindled out of their money.
The Queen of Soul had her cash go straight into her handbag, which she kept on the piano onstage with her before handing it off to her security team.
Even Franklin’s contracts required club promoters to physically hand her $25,000 in cash, and anything beyond was handed over in the form of a check.
Franklin didn’t keep all of the cash for herself, but used the money to pay the staff from the shows off the books.
Aretha Franklin left an absolutely phenomenal legacy that is beyond words, and one thing we can take away from the legacy is the power in knowing our value and worth in conducting our affairs.