When it comes to the ongoing debate about who should be named the King of R&B, there are a few names that consistently come up, one of which is Usher.

At only 44 years old, the crooner boasts a career spanning three decades, an RIAA-certified diamond album, countless accolades, and a catalog full of undeniable hits. To say that he has proven his staying power in the industry would be an understatement. But so would calling him the King of R&B, at least a little.

On Friday (May 12), the “Climax” singer spoke about the GOAT-esque title in an interview with The Shade Room. When asked if he saw himself as the King of R&B, he joked, “I mean, I can’t answer that. I’m a king of something, at least my sons.” The debonair artist continued, “I feel like, you know, if I confine myself to just being a King of R&B, that would be too shortsighted. I love R&B, but R&B is a segue to many, many, many, many things, right?”

Usher further explained, “I love R&B, and if people have given me that title of someone that has consistently done what I’ve done, hey, I’ll take it, but it’s so much more than just being that.” Proving that he hears the conversations regarding R&B music, he playfully quipped, “Ain’t Jacquees the King of R&B? I don’t want to take his role. That’s lil bro.”

Fans may recall when the “When You Bad Like That” artist sparked a social media storm when he declared himself the King of R&B in 2018. He told Rolling Stone he was inspired to give himself the title after a performance in Rochester, New York. “It had been on my mind anyway ‘cause I was just thinking like that. People ain’t really doing what I’m doing right now. I listen to everybody’s music. I’m a fan of it all, but for real R&B, ain’t nobody doing what I’m doing,” he told the publication.

His confidence was further fueled when he heard a Texas radio personality refer to him as the genre’s reigning ruler. “‘Man, if you think about it, Jacquees the King of R&B for this generation… He the most consistent right now, and the music he’s dropping right now is R&B. Jacquees is the King of R&B,’” he recalled hearing. The following year, he released his second album, titled King of R&B, making it that much more evident that he would not be wavering from his stance.

Usher’s interview can be viewed below.