Bruno Mars has probably faced more criticism in the past week than he has in his entire career. For those who missed all of the ruckus, the “Locked Out Of Heaven” singer was accused of cultural appropriation and the situation has evolved into a full-blown social media debate. Last week, 90s singer, Meshell Ndegeocello, kicked off the debate, by sharing her brutally honest opinion of the singer, insisting his musicianship is the epitome of modern-day karaoke. Now, Angie Stone is weighing in with her opinion of the situation.

Keepin’ It Real?:

When TMZ caught up with soul singer, Angie Stone, she was asked about Bruno Mars and she wasted no time sharing her opinion of the situation. While she admitted she has love for Bruno, she believes the biggest issue is a matter of respect. “We love Bruno Mars. This is not about Bruno Mars for us,” Stone told the publication. “However, when it comes to the history of hip-hop and our contributions….pay. You can’t just take people stuff and walk with it.” She went on to discuss Mark Ronson’s hit single, “Uptown Funk,” which features Bruno Mars.

Check out Angie’s statement:

Of course, the “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” singer even pointed out the fiaso surrounding The Sequence, the soul trio she recorded “Funk You Up” with. She also reiterated how Bruno admitted he was inspired by The Sequence but since “Funk You Up” wasn’t exactly a sample, the group wasn’t compensated for Bruno’s “Uptown Funk.” Stone explained, “Bruno acknowledged The Sequence in a tweet very long ago saying ‘this was influenced by The Sequence.” She added, “Do your homework because you are a brilliant artist but you need to respect the game.”

Listen to The Sequence – “Funk You Up”:

Now, check out Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”

Of course, Bruno’s style has garnered mixed opinions but most fans still insist they’ll keep bobbin’ to the beat.

Karaoke Or Nah?:

Angie Stone’s statement follows Meshell Ndegeocello’s statements about Bruno’s new hit single “Finesse.” The track may not be funk-inspired, but Ndegeocello argues that the “Finesse” sound comes from somewhere. She insists Bruno only duplicated Bel Biv DeVoe’s New Jack Swing sound so the track isn’t exactly “original.” She said, “What he’s doing is karaoke, basically. With “Finesse,” in particular, I think he was simply copying Bell Biv DeVoe. I think he was copying Babyface. And definitely, there were some elements of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis back when they worked with Human League. I feel like there’s just all these threads running through there but not in a genuine way.”

She went on to explain the thin line between original musicianship and karaoke. “It’s really a matter of musicality and being able to manipulate the tropes in a way that makes it feel personal. It can’t just be a pastiche, where you’re copying or mimicking an old sound or just doing karaoke. There has to be a form of sincerity.”

Those comments sparked all kinds of debates online. While many die-hard fans have defended Bruno, there are others who admitted they actually agree with the likes of Meshell Ndegeochello and Angie Stone. “Bruno’s music sounds scientifically manufactured to get hits and be played on the radio – without soul. He does it very well but it leaves me flat,” one person wrote. Another person also offered a different perspective of Ndegeochello’s statements which suggests her words were a lot like Angie Stone’s. “She isn’t a hater. Just speaking her mind on the state of music. She never said he wasn’t talented. Just not innovating the music he is inspired by. I love Bruno and I can agree with this assessment of his work. Its art and art is meant to be critiqued.”

Should Bruno be more creative or should people just let the man live? Share your thoughts.