Why did Black media cancel Lenny Kravitz? An investigation.

OPINION: During an in-depth interview with a white magazine, the rock legend wondered why Black media outlets have ignored his success.

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Why do y’all keep hating on Lenny Kravitz?

I just assumed that everyone loved Kravitz. His catalog spans a quarter of a century and multiple genres, including classic rock, pop, hard rock, ballads and collabs with hip-hop GOATS. Women think he’s fine. Men admire him for winning four Grammys and a Huxtable. I imagine that he is beloved by scarf manufacturers for singlehandedly propping up the boa industry. Because of the song “Cause I Love You,” I’m sure Kravitz understands why Mr. Williams remains atop the “Lenny” rankings.

But, according to Esquire, Black America’s second-ranked Lenny feels slighted.

In a cover profile that coincides with the release of Kravitz’s 12th studio album, Jay-Z, Denzel Washington and other Black icons wax poetic about the impact and legacy of the writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. But, despite selling more albums than DaBaby, Lil Baby and Bhad Bhabie combined, Lenny Kravitz has never been invited to a single BET or Soul Train Award show. 

Buried in the 6,897 words written by a white woman interspersed by photographs shot by a white man showing a Kravitz wearing clothes designed by white people, the celebrated musician lamented his lack of support from the Black community. Specifically, he can’t understand why his success “is not celebrated by the folks who run [Black] publications or organizations,” adding:

Kravitz is more mystified, though, by how he’s been treated by Black entertainment and culture outlets. Take Vibe magazine, which featured a who’s who of Black artists in its pages when it began publishing in 1993 but waited almost a decade to put Kravitz on the cover. And it wasn’t just Vibe. “To this day, I have not been invited to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing,” he says. “And it’s like, here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers — just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?”

As someone who has also never received an invitation to the Stellar Awards or a write-up in the Source Magazine, I understand Kravitz’s complaint. Sure, I don’t sing gospel music and I’ve never made a rap song but I also don’t know what the hell Kravitz would do at the Source Awards. The Soul Train Awards doesn’t even have a rock category and the last time Kravitz had a song on the top 40 Hip Hop /R&B charts, the BET Awards didn’t exist. Eminem appeared in multiple BET Hip Hop Awards cyphers because he is a hip-hop artist but haters like y’all insist on bringing facts and logic into this emotional argument. Iggy Azalea was nominated best new female hip-hop artist because … OK, I can’t explain that one, but still … 

Having worked in Black media for most of my career, I can assure you that there is not a single Black-centric outlet that would reject Kravitz if he wanted to appear at one of these celebrations. Most Black publications would kill for an exclusive interview with someone like Kravitz. Most of the platforms he references have published stories on the Black origins of rock and roll. I know because I have written some of them. 

Perhaps he assumed his publicists were rejected when they pitched the idea of a Lenny Kravitz interview. Maybe he thought that the Soul Train Awards told his managers they couldn’t fit him in this year between performances by Muni Long and Fridayy (the singer, not the day of the week). He might believe that the editors at Esquire heard he was coming out with an album and called up his management for an interview. Had I received a pitch to interview Kravitz in my email inbox, I would have mortgaged my house for the access that he gave to that white media outlet.

Maybe Kravitz isn’t aware that, if there is such a thing as “Black media,” then Esquire is a white media outlet. Perhaps he didn’t know that he is the only Black man to appear on the magazine’s cover this year. He should ask his white manager and white agent why the “white” award shows often station Black media at the far end of the red carpet. Perhaps he was unaware that publicists regularly usher artists of his caliber past the “Black section” of the red carpet after they’ve finished talking to the “mainstream outlets” first.

To be fair, I completely understand Kravitz’s befuddlement. It is possible that, as an artist and creative, he is oblivious to the inner workings of awards shows and media relations. Because of funding and lack of interest from white audiences, many Black outlets don’t have the reach and audience of mainstream organizations. But that lack of funding and interest is exacerbated by the fact that Black artists are managed and represented by people who don’t care about Black culture. White audiences are willing to consume Black music, entertainment and culture but they aren’t interested in Black people. 

Or maybe it is Black people’s fault.

Maybe Black people created entire platforms to celebrate our culture so that we won’t have to embrace our icons. Perhaps we don’t love Lenny Kravitz the same way we embraced his mother, his ex-wife, his daughter, his music and all of the Black people who sang his praises in the pages of the white magazine. Whatever the case may be, I agree with Lenny that cancel culture must stop.

I blame Sexxy Redd.

Michael Harriot is an economist, cultural critic and championship-level Spades player. His New York Times bestseller Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America is available everywhere books are sold.

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