Elvis Presley is credited with being the king of rock and roll because he was the first white boy who was good looking enough and could perform well enough to make white audiences forget that he was singing black music. The very phrase “rock and roll” was coined by Blues musicians. Elvis’ first hit was “That’s Alright Mama.” But he “appropriated” it from a black artist named Arthur Crudup. “You Ain’t Nothing But A Hound Dog” came from Big Mama Thornton. Elvis colonized black music. Here’s David Letterman interviewing Otis Blackwell. A man whom Elvis imitated and appropriated from.