It’s a Lenny Kravitz Birthday Bash, and you’re all invited! Let’s Let Love Rule and dive into the man’s discography.
Born on May 24, 1964, Leonard Albert Kravitz was a man destined for stardom. His father Sy Kravitz was a TV producer for NBC. His mother Roxie Roker was an actress. Read that last name again. Yes, Lenny Kravitz is related to Al Roker; they’re second cousins.
Lenny grew up in New York City, then moved to L.A. at the age of 10 when his mom was cast on The Jeffersons. It was there he had his first experiences as a singer and performer: he was a member of the California Boys Choir for three years.
Lenny Kravitz Birthday: Romeo Blue
Search “Lenny Kravitz Romeo Blue” on YouTube and one of the first hits you’ll get is a Lenny Kravitz tribute act. That’s because Lenny recorded under the name in the ’80s after being told my record labels that his music either wasn’t “black enough” or “white enough.”
Yes, there was a lot of ignorance (and, let’s be honest, racism) in those days. But Lenny’s talents were bigger than that. He kept writing, kept recording, and finally released his debut album–Let Love Rule–as Lenny Kravitz in 1989.
Lenny Kravitz Birthday: Lenny the Legend
Lenny spent the ’90s building his legacy, making music with a melting pot of genres. I think his third album, 1993’s Are You Gonna Go My Way, is the pinnacle of his recorded work. I wrote about why for the album’s 30th anniversary.
Then, for the 25th anniversary of 1998’s 5, I wrote about how his big-hit crossover album is better than I remembered. Cuts from both albums make my list below. So let’s crack that Lenny Kravitz birthday 6-pack and celebrate the man and his music.
