On the eve of his new release, Black and White America (out tomorrow, August 30^th), Lenny Kravitz has announced a series of new release formats for the album, as well as several high profile television appearances.

The Black and White America: Super Deluxe Edition will include a 46 page foil-embossed hardcover book, double-gatefold LP set with an exclusive 200-photo Kravitz photo collage, a DVD with 5 exclusive and very intimate in-studio performances and a CD making it the complete album experience of sight and sound. An exclusive vinyl version of the album will also be available.

In addition to the release of his new album, Lenny Kravitz has confirmed a series of performances the week of the album’s release. He will perform on the Toyota Concert Series on the TODAY Show, closing out the morning program’s highly anticipated summer shows on September 2^nd. Along with the TODAY concert series, Kravitz is set to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on August 30^th and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon onSeptember 1^st.

Marking Lenny Kravitz’s first release of new material in three years, Black and White America is a rich rock and funk-infused collection filled with Lenny’s signature guitar riffs, compelling melodies and the undeniable anthemic lyricism that has been his trademark over the course of his 20-year career. Recorded in Paris and the Bahamas, Lenny Kravitz’s vocals and guitar playing are as distinct as ever, showcasing the intensity with which he records and performs. Kravitz, a multi-instrumentalist, produced, wrote and arranged the 12 tracks on the record. Black and White America’s standout tracks include “Stand,” with its melodic beats and rhythms, “Super Love,” a 70’s throwback to the days of funk with a weaving modern sound, the electrifying beat-driven “Boongie Drop” featuring Jay-Z and the soulful “Sunflower” with Drake. This is Kravitz’s first album on the new label, Atlantic Records/Roadrunner Records, following 8 previous albums and over 35 million units sold.

Lenny Kravitz, who most recently appeared in the Oscar nominated film Precious, has also announced that he has been cast in the role of Cinna in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel, The Hunger Games, which is currently filming.

For more information please go to www.lennykravitz.com.

New Music Video for “Stand” set to Premiere on VH1 Saturday, July 16th

Video to Premiere on VH1.com July 14th and on LennyKravitz.com and Youtube on July 15th

“(Stand is) a groovy windows-down, volume-up summer hit”
Rolling Stone

Lenny Kravitz’s newest music video for “Stand” is set to premiere on Saturday, July 16^th on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown at 9am EST. Directed by Paul Hunter, the video shows three very different never before seen sides of Kravitz. Depicting a wild 70’s game show gone wrong, Kravitz will have you tapping your foot top the music and be amazed at the comedic setting.

“Stand” will also premiere online at VH1.com on Thursday, July 14^th and on LennyKravitz.com and Youtube.com Friday, July 15^th. In addition to the video premiere, Kravitz’s new album, Black & White America, will be released August 30^th, 2011. For more information go to www.LennyKravitz.com.

Teena Marie may not have been a household name, but she was instrumental in Lenny Kravitz’s rise to fame.

The Grammy Award-winning singer posted a message on YouTube Monday from Paris after waking up to find out his “long-time friend” had died suddenly at the age of 54.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Teena, she took me in when I was around 16,” he said. “I was just a musician living on the street living from pillar to post.”

The 46-year-old singer-songrwiter said she took him in, gave him a bedroom and instruments and trailed him to concerts and recording sessions.

“She nurtured me and helped me to become who I am,” he said, adding that he never really talked about their bond in depth.

The duo did however record a duet, “Main Squeeze,” that appeared on Marie’s 1994 album, “Passion Play.”

“She changed my life not only as an artist but as a person who truly loved me for who I was,” Kravitz added in his video, before admitting they had been out of contact for the past few years.

“I will always love and respect you,” he concluded. “Thank you, Father, for the life of Teena Marie.”

But Kravitz is not the only high profile singer who shares a history with Marie. Rap star Common revealed that he and Marie had the same star signs.

“Teena and I are both Pisces and we believe that we’ve been here before,” he tweeted. “That’s why ‘De Ja Vu’ is my favorite song.”

Meanwhile, Diddy revealed that he just saw the legendary musician “the other day” before tweeting, “God Bless.”

Mary J. Blige opted for the traditional “rest in peace” message before adding, “My Love for u is forever.”

One of Marie’s younger admirers, Alicia Keys, 29, also tweeted a tribute to the “Ooo La La La” singer.

“God bless Teena Marie & her Family! Sending Blessings & prayers,” she wrote on Twitter. “I was just sayin that [Fire and Desire] is one of the most beautifully performed songs!”

Marie, who was a protégé of Rick James’, was found dead by her 18-year-old daughter Sunday in California.

Her publicist said she suffered a grand mal seizure a month ago but no cause of death has been released.

An autopsy is set to take place later this week, though, according to TMZ.com, no illegal drugs were found at the scene.

M.I.A, Ryan McGinley and Lenny Kravitz

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Kravitz, who opened his own design firm in 2003, met with Shelborne co-owner Keith Menin in South Beach over the weekend to discuss designing a Sand Bar lounge for the art deco hotel, which will reopen with a new look this fall.

Kravitz Design Group’s projects have included spaces at the Setai and the Delano, and the company just struck a deal to produce a line of Brazilian-inspired wallpaper with New Orleans-based Flavor Paper.

LG Electronics Kompressor Vacuum on The 25th Spirit Awards Blue Carpet

Gabourey Sidibe

Jodie Foster

Regina King

Zoe Kravitz and Lenny Kravitz

Taraji P. Henson

Laura Dern

Jeff Bridges

Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal

Olympic Figue Skater Johnny Weir

Lenny Kravitz has taken to Twitter to “set the record straight” about a leaked version of Michael Jackson’s “Another Day,” a song the rocker recorded with the late King of Pop.

Kravitz posted a video of himself sitting among trees and telling fans that the version of “Another Day” which surfaced online Sunday night was not leaked by him.

“Mine has been locked up in a vault since we recorded it,” he says. “The version that’s out is a minute and 30 seconds, roughly, of the track — not mixed, but it is the track. The DJ who’s speaking over the track, I don’t know who that person is, I don’t know how he obtained it…but that person has nothing to do with the track.”

Of his collaboration with Jackson, Kravitz says, “I produced it for him; I wrote the song and played all the instruments for him on the track. It was one of the most amazing musical experiences I’ve ever had. It was done by two people who respect each other and who love music.”

Meanwhile, new leaks of “Another Day” continue to pop up online as Jackson’s label tries to shut them down. For his part, Kravitz says he wants the final and complete version of the song to see the light of day.

“I’d like to see this thing get straightened out as soon as possible,” Kravitz says, “because I’d like for you — the fans, the people who love Michael — to hear the track in its entirety the way it was meant to be…so that’s all being worked out, as I sit here in the bush. I’ll get back to you as soon as I have more information.”

WHEN Lenny Kravitz learned he was being accused of having an extramarital affair with Alex Rodriguez’s wife, Cynthia, he “looked like he was going to throw up,” according to a witness.

Dodd Romero, the hulking fitness trainer who accompanied Cynthia to Paris, told The Post that Kravitz blames his former manager, Guy Oseary, for entangling the rocker in the twisted tales about Madonna and the Yankee slugger.

Romero called Kravitz two weeks ago to tip him off that Oseary – who managed Kravitz, Madonna and A-Rod – was about to “pimp out Madonna and A-Rod,” said a source. But Kravitz didn’t approve and told Romero, “I’ll take care of this” – and fired Oseary.

Kravitz was shocked when he was then accused of having a fling with the slugger’s wife, said the source. Romero believes Oseary planted the story in retaliation for being dumped.

Kravitz, Cynthia Rodriguez and Romero were all in Kravitz’s tour bus when the reports broke in Paris. “Lenny looked like he was going to throw up,” Romero told the Post. “Lenny said, ‘I worked so hard to clean up my image and now I’m gonna get dragged into this.’ ”

The trio planned to fly to Spain to meet up with Denzel Washington, whom Romero also trains, but canceled when Kravitz’s alleged tryst made news. The group agreed it was best for Cynthia to instead head back to Miami to “sort out the mess.”

A rep for Kravitz confirmed he dumped Oseary two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s Times reported, “Madonna has denied having an affair with Rodriguez.” In actuality, the hair-splitting statement issued in her name said she is “not romantically involved with [Alex] Rodriguez.” As many readers of this newspaper know, you don’t have to be romantically involved to have an affair.

(source)

Lenny Kravitz is denying reports of an affair with Alex Rodriguez’s wife, Cynthia — who he’s currently with in Paris.

“There is absolutely no affair between Cynthia Rodriguez and myself,” he tells Usmagazine.com in a statement. “This is unequivocally 100% not true.

“Cynthia is a friend and is here with the godfather of her baby, who is also Alex’s trainer, his wife and their baby girl,” he adds.

“She came here to escape from everything happening in New York City. I opened my home to her as a friend and I find it extremely hurtful that I am now being referred to as an adulterer.”

On Wednesday, perezhilton.com and the Post reported that Rodriguez’s wife Cynthia, 32, had left him for Lenny Kravitz.

The Post reports that she is in Paris with the rocker, 44, and was spotted outside his home as recently as Tuesday — the same day Us Weekly revealed that Madonna has been hosting late-night visits from Rodriguez at her NYC apartment.

(Interestingly, Madonna has been romantically linked to Kravitz. He also appeared in her 1990 “Justify My Love” video.)

New York’s Daily News is also reporting that Rodriguez and Cynthia have split after having “problems” for about three months.

Cynthia’s mother, Evangeline Scurtis, denied that her daughter was in Paris with Kravitz — “she is not! I know that,” she said — but repeatedly declined to comment about her daughter’s marriage to Rodriguez.

The couple (who wed in November 2002) has two children, Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander, who was born April 21.

(source)