“Cos It Doesn’t Matter If You’re Black Or White…”
Having sold over 35 million albums worldwide, received 4 Grammy Awards, and quite often touted as the sexiest rock star alive, Lenny Kravitz is somewhat of a living legend. Over his 20-year musical career, Lenny has transcended genre, style, race and class to dabble in various influences of ’60s and ’70s soul, rock and funk.
A Modern Day Madonna
Whether he is summoning the duelling crunchy guitar spirits of Jimi Hendrix and Chuck Berry on Are You Gonna Go My Way, grinding down his best Joan Jett impersonation on American Woman or even turning down the lights on the piano-driven I’ll Be Waiting, Lenny has been a modern day prophet of the power of reinvention. Much like Madonna or David Bowie (one of his influences), his uncanny knack of knowing when and how to redefine has been one of the keys to his staying power and importance in both the pop and rock music circles. Undoubtedly, this coupled with his gift of being able play a multitude of instruments has only facilitated his numerous evolutions, as he not only looks good onstage – but he is also a true musician who knows what he’s doing. Also, just like the Material Girl and Ziggy Stardust, Lenny has proven that his creative skills aren’t just limited to music, as he has appeared in the Oscar-nominated film, Precious, and has just been cast in the role of Cinna in the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel, The Hunger Games.
Coming Full-Circle?
At 15, Lenny was already harbouring hopes and dreams of becoming a rock star and let nothing stand in his way as he left home, slept in cars, slept in friends’ cars, and even recorded an album independently when the labels told him his music wasn’t “black” or “white” enough. Perhaps, this race issue is one of the reasons why his ninth studio album, Black and White America, is so personal and dear to Lenny, as he recalls his own family history and the experiences of his parents as an interracial couple in the ‘60s. “People used to yell obscenities and spit at them,” he says, “and this was in New York City, not in the South. So it’s about me personally and about the situation with race in this country. Maybe we are beginning to move on, but there’s still a lot of people who want to hold onto their old ideas.”Even though the topic of racism is one usually associated with anger and sadness, the tone of Black and White America is that of faith and hope, according to Lenny. “This world is a challenging place. The interesting dynamic is when you are in the middle of chaos and you are able to find inner peace. I choose to remain optimistic, even in the face of negativity and destruction.”
Another Love Revolution?
Recorded in the Bahamas and Paris, Lenny admits to the music of his new record being inspired by the original influences from his youth. “A lot of this record seems to be influenced by what I was listening to in junior high and high school. Soul, R&B, bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, Quincy Jones productions like the Brothers Johnson – these were the type of records that taught me so much about producing and arranging music.”Although, it’s a rather used and abused cliché by musicians, Lenny does believe that Black and White America is his most seminal release. “I think it’s the best work I’ve done to date,” he says. “It’s a great balance of where I’ve been, where I am and where I am going.” He adds that he feels this album to be a celebration and “anybody listening is going to feel it and be uplifted by the spirit of the music.” Come the end of August, the fans will be the judge of that. Personally, we hope that Lenny delivers another love revolution…
Watch Lenny’s new video for Stand from the forthcoming album Black And White America out in August
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