When Lenny Kravitz arrived on Rock-n-Roll scene in the summer of 1989 with his debut single “Let Love Rule,” it felt like something unique and special. Unlike the fading Glam Rock and the emerging Grunge Rock movement, Kravitz fused retro-sounding Rock, Soul, and Funk with a modern flair all his own. Chanelling vibes of Jimi Hendrix and others like Sly & the Family Stone, the 1989 debut album Let Love Rule made it to number 61 on the Billboard 200, and paved the way for massive success of 1991’s Mama Said (which featured “It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over”), the chart topping 1993 album Are You Gonna Go My Way, 1995’s Circus, and the massive 1998 album 5.
A career built on Lenny Kravitz being himself, he continued to find success with his long-time label Virgin Records through to 2008’s It Is Time for a Love Revolution. Turning the page, in early 2011, he signed with Roadrunner Records with eyes on doing something a bit different. At this point, a four-time Grammy winner, Kravitz initially went down to the Bahamas with the intent of putting the finishing touches on an album he called Negrophilia. However, while Kravitz was on a trip, he caught something on television about people being displeased with the Barack Obama presidency (who was a couple of years into his first term at the time), alluding to his race rather than his policies, and it struck Kravitz to his core.
A big part of his inspiration, let us not forget that Kravitz is from an interracial family with his dad being Jewish American Television Producer Sy Kravitz and his mom being famed African American Actress Roxie Boker, so prejudice is something personal for him. Thus came the standout Lenny Kravitz album Black and White America on August 29, 2011. His ninth studio album, and his first through Roadrunner Records, by and large focused on overcoming racial division, finding common ground, and snuffing out the flames of hate. A lovely sentiment, Kravitz brings this to life most explicitly in the album’s title track, but also drives home a message of hope with singles like “Stand” and “Dream,” plus gratitude with “Life Ain’t Ever Been Better Than It Is Now.”
Altogether, the record features an eccentric mix of sounds, with Rock-n-Roll, ‘70s Funk, and Soul taking the forefront and delivering exceptional grooves. Producing six singles between 2011 and 2012, it was yet another major success for Kravitz with a debut at number one in both Germany and Switzerland, a number seventeen debut in the US, plus gold-selling status in several other places. Interestingly, the first and only album he put out through Roadrunner, in the years to follow, Kravitz has kept striking it big with three more records through to his most recent, 2024’s Blue Electric Light.
An album that stands out in the latter part of Kravitz’s career, Black and White America is now available as a newly reissued vinyl. Initially released on vinyl and CD in 2011, this new vinyl repress arrived on October 3, 2025, as part of Rhino’s Rocktober 2025 series, along with a list of back catalogue titles from other artists. A great option worth looking into, for reference: if you wanted to pick up the first press of Black and White America from 2011 on vinyl, you would be looking at spending over $200 on sites like eBay. Giving you insight into how great an opportunity it is to pick up the album on vinyl with this new pressing at a fair price—do not make the same mistake twice and miss out.
Including 2 LPs with all original artwork and a gatefold layout, it is of flawless quality and sure to add to your collection. Sounding and looking great, it is also important to mention that vinyl was the format Lenny Kravitz had in mind when creating Black and White America. Proclaiming that he was not initially sure what he wanted to do musically, he knew he wanted to make a double album with sixteen tracks, perfect for a double-vinyl release. Extremely passionate about this vision, you should be too, and take a closer look at picking up a copy of this 2025 vinyl reissue of Black and White America, because Cryptic Rock gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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