He would claim that he grew up in a "privileged but middle-class" household. He grew up religiously repressed, which tends to make people feel like they're part of some lesser class when usually it means quite the opposite.
My disclaimer, in case you missed it: I'm Black! I am Black and whit,e so yes, I am also white, but when I say "white people," I mean fully white people who don't have Black parents or any biologically Black family.