[large]Guitar Hero[/large]
Lenny Kravitz tells Richard Rys about an alternate euphemism for round backsides—and explains what happened to that celibacy pact
Count Lenny Kravitz among the shrinking cadre of musicians not named Mick, Keith, or Bono who truly embody the title “rock star” (and aren’t AARP-eligible). Maybe you’re familiar with his blend of retro-rock, funk, and soul, which wears its influences on its paisley sleeves and has earned him four Grammys since his 1989 debut, Let Love Rule. But you almost certainly know Kravitz the Sex God. The dreads are gone, but the tattoos, abs, piercings, and leather trousers remain. Once best known for marrying Cosby Show bad girl Lisa Bonet, the 47-year-old is set to release his ninth album, Black and White America, and will appear with Jennifer Lawrence in next year’s The Hunger Games. Kravitz is still looking for love, so if you wanna go his way, there are a few things you should know: He’s a proud papa (to actress Zoe Kravitz). He won’t mention the supermodels (Adriana Lima) or Oscar winners (Nicole Kidman) he’s squired. And given the chance, he might raid your closet.
ELLE: You’ve said this album tells more of your personal story. What’s the message behind the club-banger with Jay-Z, “Boongie Drop”?
LENNY KRAVITZ: You know what “boongie” means, right?
ELLE: Um, no.
LK: It’s Bahamian for “ass.” That was inspired by an evening at this place where a lot of women show up—full-figured Bahamian women. It sounds like it’s a song about girls shaking their ass. That’s not it. These women aren’t taken hostage by the stereotype of what the media says is beautiful. They’re completely proud of who they are, what size they are, how they look. And the men love it.
ELLE: You wrote your first song, “I Love You, Baby,” in elementary school. Were you a Casanova in fifth grade?
LK: Not at all. I lived across the street from this kid, Alex. He was older than me and way cooler. He’d tie a scarf around his knee like Jimi Hendrix, and he had long hair. So we’d jam. I remember being quite proud of it—those were the only words: “I love you, baby. I love you more and more each day.”
ELLE: What did your mother teach you about being a man?
LK: That it’s about honor and respect. I was, like, 13, and my mom had to go to some party. She said, “Lenny, I want you to wash these dishes and put them away.” So she leaves, I wash the dishes, and put them away. About three in the morning, I get awakened by this tap on my head, and she drags me to the kitchen. One cabinet door is open about an inch, right? And she points at the door and says, “Close the cabinet.” I was completely pissed off and couldn’t believe this woman would drag me out of bed. But that was what follow-through was about. If it weren’t for these kinds of lessons, I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing.
ELLE: Is it true that you used to sneak into your mom’s closet and try on her clothes?
LK: Well, let’s be clear. [Laughs] Yes. This was the ’70s. When I looked at pictures of the musicians I loved—the Jackson 5, Sly Stone, Miles Davis—they wore really cool clothes. And in her closet were a lot of killer jackets and scarves and belts and knee-high boots. Nobody was around, and I’d put this stuff on and look in the mirror, like, “Yeah, man.”
ELLE: Do you remember your first crush?
LK: As rock ’n’ roll as this sounds, they were twins. I had girlfriends in first grade: Mandy and Beth. They were white. Who cares, I went for everything—but these particular ones were white. They’d wear the same little dresses and buckled patent leather shoes and white tights. Brunettes with blue eyes. I remember them chasing me on the schoolyard, trying to kiss me.
ELLE: And you haven’t seen them since?
LK: No. You’re getting some weird stories out of me, man. I just woke up, dude.
ELLE[/b]: In 2008, you said you’d been celibate for three years and were waiting for marriage. You’re still not married.…
LK: By the instruction of my publicist—
ELLE: Oh, no.
LK: We spent a whole two years talking about that. That’s all people would bring up! But yes, I did do that. Next!
ELLE: But that’s not your philosophy now?
LK: Not necessarily.
ELLE: As a rock-star divorcé and a child of divorce, you still believe in marriage as an institution—I’m surprised.
LK: My parents—it really affected me. Maybe because it happened late. At that point, when you’re 20, you feel like they’re set. But do I still believe in it? Yeah, I do. I really look forward to the day it happens.
ELLE: How does it feel to see your exes at the Oscars and in magazines?
LK: Hey, life moves on. You meet them with their man or whatever. But yeah, you can’t avoid several of them. And they can’t avoid me.
ELLE: Have you had one great love?
LK: Hmm. Wow. I’d have to say it’s Zoe’s mom [Bonet]. We had a really special thing at a special time.
ELLE: Zoe has described you as a “strict dad in leather pants and a boa.” Is that even possible?
LK: Yeah. I love when she says, “My dad tried to get me to go to bed, and there’s Mick Jagger in the living room.” No matter how it seemed, there were rules, because that’s how I grew up. Don’t get confused by the leather pants.
ELLE: The leather pants I get. But, uh, why the pubic piercing?
LK: Pardon?
ELLE: Why pierce your pubic area? You’re not actually lanced through the—
LK: No, no. That’s a whole other thing. I just wanted it. And I also had a diamond that my mother had left me, so I thought, What better place to put the family jewels than by the family jewels?
