Kenny G says he told Starbucks to make the Frappuccino. Much like Paul McCartney invented the photobomb, Prince invented the keytar, Lil Wayne invented bling and more.
Earlier this year, Kenny G was promoting his latest album, Brazilian Nights, which is no doubt about how the only thing smoother than a Brazilian wax is Kenny G’s jazz.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Kenny G discussed his early investment in Starbucks — then took it even further and claimed HE was responsible for the Frappuccino.
Quoting G:
Well, at the beginning, Starbucks didn’t have anything but coffee, and there was another company, Coffee Bean, that had something called blended. It was a sweet drink, and people were lined up around the block.
And I would always call Howard [Schultz, Starbucks CEO] and say, ‘Howard, there’s this thing that they do there that’s like a milkshake or whatever.’ And so I think that part of the reason that they did Frappuccino was people like me giving them that kind of feedback. So I like to think I was partially responsible for that.
And Starbucks… didn’t totally shoot that down. A spokesperson said, “He did provide feedback on the creation of [the] Frappuccino.”
I went on a hunt to find more wild invention claims and credit grabs from singers and musicians. Once I had eight or so, I had to flashback to my past and find a full 11…
1 | Paul McCartney claims he invented the selfie
He made the claim on the old Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, based off this old photo…
2 | Paul McCartney also claims he invented the photobomb
He made the claim in the same interview, based off this photo…
In both cases, the claims were tongue-in-cheek — although you kind of get the feeling he’s not 100 percent joking.
3 | Marilyn Manson claims he invented the term “grunge”
Before he was a singer, he was a music journalist and says he coined the term during a review of Nirvana’s first album.
4 | Ike Turner claims he invented the strobe light
He did not.
5 | Steve Miller claims he invented the words “epismetology” and “pompatus.”
Most people believe he actually based both words off the lyrics from a song called The Letter from a ’50s doo-wop group called The Medallions. I’m skeptical, personally; white musicians don’t have any history of ripping things off from black musicians.
6 | Iggy Azelea claims she invented on-stage twerking
Ibid.
7 | Ma Rainey claims she invented the name “blues.”
8 | Prince claims he invented a better keytar
He doesn’t take credit for the original keytar, but holds an actual U.S. patent for a better keytar. I love that his patent was issued in 1992. Way to strike while the iron was hot on that keytar trend, Prince.
9 | Thomas Dolby claims he invented ringtones
He’s behind the technology that made the old polyphonic ringtones. (I’ve covered him before and, yeah, I believe him.)
10 | Lil Wayne claims he invented bling
The term, not the geologic process from which carbon is compressed and heated deep within the Earth to produce diamonds.
11 | Trey Songz claims he invented sex
Chicken/egg.