Rock legend, Lenny Kravitz, once revealed that Teena Marie was the number one reason why he is who he is today. They are an unlikely pair of friends, but they were extremely close and he says Lady T. was his mentor when he was flat broke and unknown to the masses.
Here’s What Lenny Said She Did For Him
Soon after the legendary singer, Teena Marie passed away in December 2010, Lenny posted an emotional Youtube video, to reveal for the first time ever the deep bond they shared and what she’d done for him as a teenager…
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Teena. She took me in when I was around 16. I was just a musician on the street, I was living from pillar to post, she took me in, she gave me a bedroom. She fed me, she cooked for me, she took care of me. She gave me instruments to play, she took me to all her recording sessions, she took me to concerts, she nurtured me and helped me to become who I am. I’ve never really talked much about it in depth, but I would not be here. She changed my life, not only as an artist but as a person, truly loved me for who I was.
He concluded with a message directly to his late friend:
“I just wanna say, Teena, that I will always love you and respect you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you, Father, for the life of Teena Marie.”
Watch Lenny Kravitz’s full video message below:
This is the first time we’ve heard about Teena Marie helping those in need. She had a beautiful heart. But there’s more…
Why Was The Son Of Roxie Roker Living “Pillar To Post?”
If you’re wondering why the son of Roxie Roker a.k.a. “Helen Willis” on The Jeffersons was living from “pillar to post,” also was I. The only hypothetical conclusion I was able to draw was that his Mom didn’t necessarily want him to pursue music in the beginning:
1. Many who were close to Roxie Roker, like her cast mates on “The Jeffersons,” have often mentioned that Roxie always expressed concern about her son wanting to be involved with music. So maybe at the time, when he was just starting out at 16, he didn’t have her full support on his musician ambitions, but instead ventured out and chased his dreams on his own.
2. Or Lenny could have simply just wanted to make a name for himself, without leaning on his Mom’s money nor fame.
That’s all hypothetical though and I could be wrong about that, but their very possible, given that Roxie was only one of the biggest sitcom stars at that time.
Lenny also said that his grandmother, Bessie Roker, was his greatest supporter, who supported him even when other family members doubted his direction. That’s why he says his Miss Bessie Music publishing company is named after her. “She supported me unconditionally,” he says. Again, that further supports the notion that his mother, Roxie Roker didn’t necessarily support his musical ambitions in the beginning.
Lenny’s father, Hollywood producer, Sy Kravitz, Lenny, and Lenny’s mother, actress Roxy Roker.
As far as Lenny and his mother’s relationship overall, they were extremely close and he said she taught him the most about being Black. He said Roxie constantly made it clear to him from day one that:
“Your father’s White, I’m Black, you’re just as much of one, as the other. But you are Black. In society, in life, you are Black.”
