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R. Kelly Reveals Why He Calls Himself the Pied Piper of R&B”

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Credit: Christian Lantry 

R. Kelly‘s recent interview with GQ magazine is the gift that keeps on giving.  After detailing his life story in a 45-minute song, the singer has finally explained why be began referring to himself as “the Pied Piper of R&B” during the height of his legal issues involving alleged sexual encounters with minors.

“I started calling myself the Pied Piper, when I started using the flute sound in my music” Kelly explains, pointing out classics like “Fiesta” and “Snake.” “I was the Pied Piper. You know, blew a flute. I started calling myself the Pied Piper because of the flute.”

Surprisingly, Kelly reveals he wasn’t privy to the history behind the fable — the Piper was hired by the people of Hamelin to lure away all of the town’s rats with his music and then, when he did so and the adults of Hamelin refused to pay him, the Pied Piper took revenge by luring away all of their children and killing them.

“Absolutely not, I was just thinking about the flute, you know,” he replies.

When asked if he understands why some people thought the new nickname was insensitive considering his legal woes, the singer told the publication: “I can’t believe that people really think deeply like that,” he says. “It’s kind of jokey to me, it’s goofy, because I don’t think enough people think that deep into me they would compare me to some man that leads children out of the community and kills them. There’s no way they would buy my albums, there would be no way they would come to my concerts — anybody that thinks that way is sick. So definitely can’t pay them no time.”

You can read the full interview now on GQ.com.

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