Genres: Pop,RockBorn in New York on May 26, 1964 to Roxie Roker, an actress best known for her role as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, Lenny Kravitz spent his childhood surrounded by the influence of many musical legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Bobby Short, and Miles Davis.
Lenny Kravitz
I am not trying to change the world. I am just offering my gift that God gave me, and if somebody is moved by it, that's beautiful.
Born in New York on May 26, 1964 to Roxie Roker, an actress best known for her role as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, Lenny Kravitz spent his childhood surrounded by the influence of many musical legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Bobby Short, and Miles Davis. Kravitz began his musical career in Los Angeles as a member of the California Boys Choir then, in high school, broke out into the rock and roll genre under the name of Romeo Blue. Romeo Blue, in music and style, followed closely in the footsteps
In the 1980’s, Lenny Kravitz moved back to his birthplace of New York City where he met and married one of his roommates Lisa Bonet, an actress known for her role as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show. While in New York, Kravitz discarded the Romeo Blue alias and began to dabble in the retro styles of 60’s and 70’s classic rock for which he is known today. Drawing inspiration from great artists like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and the Beatles, Kravitz released his debut album, Let Love Rule, in 1989 under contract with Virgin Records.
The title track made this album an overwhelming success resulting in a hit single and an oft-aired music video. Many critics were slow to welcome Kravitz into the ranks of other great rock and roll artists due to their belief that his retro style was simply a ploy to attract attention. By the time the 1990’s rolled around, however, it had become clear that Lenny Kravitz was an integral member of mainstream rock and roll music.
The 1990s proved to be some of the most eventful years of Kravitz’s career and personal life. Justify My Love, co-written with Ingrid Chavez for Madonna, became a number one hit for two weeks in 1990. In 1991 Kravitz produced Vanessa Paradis for French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis which included a number of songs which he co-wrote and for which he played most of the instruments. The year 1991 also brought great sadness into Kravitz’s life with his divorce from Lisa Bonet and he expressed his heart-felt depression through the Mama Said album, his first to reach the Top 40. Over the next few years Kravitz released a number of popular songs including his most popular single It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over.
Lenny Kravitz released his Greatest Hits album in 2000, which has proved to be his most successful album, and he continues to perform. In 2009, Kravitz made his feature film debut in Precious which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Kravitz has appeared with several artists in recent years including Guns and Roses and Aerosmith and continues to release new music. Kravitz’s next album, Funk, is due sometime in 2010 under the new name of Negrophelia.
Did you know…
- Kravitz founded a design firm called Kravitz Design which focuses on furniture and interior design
- Kravitz identifies himself as both a Christian and a Jew and states that spirituality plays a significant role in his music
- Kravitz dated actress Nicole Kidman for a short period and rumors suggest they may have been engaged