Here's my of the deal.

Lenny has indeed recieved a lot of criticism in his 15 years of being in the industry. From when he was first starting out and trying to get a record deal in LA, record execs were always saying that he wasn't black enough, or he wasn't white enough, and refused to sign him because he wouldn't change.

Instead of critisizing Lenny, you have to look at the good he's done. He's been in the business for 15 years already. 15 years! Now how many artists nowadays do you even see staying that long? And, about what I just said, Lenny REFUSED to change his music just to get signed, which is what true class is all about, and what Prince has been preaching if I'm not mistaken.

However, I do see why he is getting bashed many times.

Lenny didn't say he was the ONLY black musician in rock music. Back in 2002-2003 in his DVD of all places, he said that rock & roll was a black artfrom (which is true) and he didn't see why more black people didn't embrace it as a musical style (probably because the media portrays black people as rappers and thugs and nothing more, but when a black guy picks up a gitar, it's weird). He said he was the only MAIN one out there right now (which is true, on his level of experience and commercial success). There are other black rockers out there, like Ben Harper and etc., but mainly, Lenny is the only one you see. Prince may play a guitar, but Prince promotes himself as more funk instead of rock & roll, and besides, this was back in 2002-2003 when he said this. How popular was Prince back then?

He says that he hates paparazzi and doesn't like going out, and that it shouldn't be about his clothes or who he's going out with, but he is constantly seen with his numerous Hollywood girlfriends on Sunset Blvd. I really do think that if you go up to someone on the street, they'd know Lenny from his girlfriends like Nicole Kidman and Lisa Bonet rather than his music.

Yes, he does seem to emulate Prince a lot, but that doesn't mean he's trying to copy him. If you haven't noticed, Lenny does have those feminine qualities that Prince has, which is why he dresses the way he does and talks and does his manerisms the way he does, but that doesn't mean he's copying Prince. People are way too hard on him for this. They judge every move that Lenny or some other artist does and compare it to everything Prince did. Well, hello, Prince didn't invent music, I'm sorry to disappoont you, and even Prince 'stole', as you all call it some samples and has made lyrics too similar to other songs to be coincidence, but you never see him getting flack for it. So, I think people should just listen to the music in a positive way rather than critizising it for having, oh, one little Prince bass line.

A lot of what Lenny says doesn't seem to match up with his actions, which does get me frustrated sometimes.

He says it's about the music and staying true to the music, but is constantly selling the rights of his songs to people like Target, Gap, Microsoft. And, I agree with whoever said it, Lenny has joined the pool of fake pop celebrities in recent years, but that doesn't mean he can't booey himself out.

Yes, his music has become a bit more predictable, more simple, and more pop, but in every album there aree quite a few gems. I mean, besides writing the simple pop tunes like "Where Are We Runnin'?", the man has written some of the most gorgeous songs, like "Heaven Help", "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over", and almost every song off of Let Love Rule. If you look at him in the early years, he had great, and I mean, absolutely GREAT lyrics and the rhythm and soul of the music down, and I wish he would go back to that. But nowadays, he seems to have lost the soul and rhythm and continues to regurgitate crap because his melodies and lyrics are very simple, in a sense of structure like "Who, shoe, blue". But then again, here's a paradox: As simple as his music may have become, and as many of you like me wish he would go back to real music instead of this easy-make me rich music he's doing now, you have to admit back in '98 when "Fly Away" came out, you all enjoyed it. I know I did.

And that about raps up my . But, I do agree with whoever said it, regarding Lenny not going over to the Dells table or getting a better seat, maybe Lenny wasn't a fan of the Dells. Just because someone is older than you and has paid more dues doesn't mean you have to meet them and mingle with them. Lenny does share a lot of respect for elder artists, like Prince, Jimi, James, George Clinton, Stevie, Ray, so don't think he's just someone so caught up on their ego not to respect anyone. He probably just wasn't a fan of them, or, if he was like me, never even heard of them.

And Lenny was probably sitting front row with record execs because they probably wanted to treat him to something, or because, yes, whoever said it, is the current one making the money.

That's my

Sorry going over and saying hello to the only other black group in the room is not stroking an ego. Called respect but maybe that is a black thing. Again no one is buying Lenny current CD he is not making any money for anyone right now.

Called respect but maybe that is a black thing.

laurarichardson said:

Maybe you didn't read me correctly...

I said Lenny does indeed show respect for a lot of the older artists who paved his way, but that doesn't mean he had to go over and mingle with the Dells just because they were older. If he were like me, he probably didn't even know who they were. I didn't. Doesn't make me a bad person. I didn't know who the Dells were, so what?

And there is no need to really bring race (ie:

laurarichardson said:

) into this.

And here's something to think about. Why is everyone making a big deal about Lenny not going over and saying hi to the Dells when P. Diddy was also in the front of the room in the audience? I don't hear anything about him...

This is why I do think Lenny is judged too harshly.

PS....I bought his new Cd..as well as all his others....love them all!!
many of my friends bought his new one also....many of them musicians themselves. Where are you getting your figures from that he "isn't selling any cd's right now, or making money for anyone???" Do you know him???? Do you know anyone who works for his agents or record company?????..... I think not. For someone who's "not making any money" I'll bet my life on it he's laughing all the way to the bank & living pretty darn comfy there.....

Kellie said:

First off, thank you for understanding and agreeing with me. I finally found a friend! j/k.

Anyways, yes, I have all of his albums (with the exception of Greatest Hits and Lenny, because that one sucked) and I do enjoy listening to them. But don't get me wrong, I am totally on Lenny's side, but the RIAA has "Baptism" listed as selling less than 300,000 copies, so it's not even a gold record yet. Gold is 500,000. Sure, he's still making money from Target and Gap, but when it comes to album sales, with "Baptism" anyways, he's not making anything, except the nickel he got from your purchase.