First published 2020
Lenny Kravitz reflects on his life through the lens of music and identity. Born into a world of contrasts, he navigates between his Black and Jewish heritage, his parents' high-profile careers, and his own artistic aspirations. His father Sy works as a powerful news executive while his mother Roxie Roker stars on television. Kravitz grows up moving between Manhattan's Upper East Side, Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Los Angeles, struggling with school difficulties and family tensions. Music becomes his refuge and salvation. He develops as a songwriter, producer, and performer while exploring his spiritual growth. His relationship with actress Lisa Bonet shapes his creative development. Despite his ambition, Kravitz rejects multiple record deals until he discovers his authentic artistic voice. The memoir spans his journey across various locations including France, England, and Germany. Kravitz describes his life as filled with opposites that fuel his curiosity and provide balance. He embraces his Gemini nature and finds harmony in contradictions. The book chronicles how he creates the voice that eventually declares "Let Love Rule" to audiences worldwide, showing how spiritual growth informs his musical expression.
Genres: african-american, autobiography, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, musicians
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, identity-journey
Setting: Bedford-Stuyvesant, England, France, Germany, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Upper East Side
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
272 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co.