Lenny Kravitz Slams Fame Game Culture

"Rocker Lenny Kravitz has criticised reality TV shows such as AMERICAN IDOL for producing a generation of fame-hungry youngsters who don't want to work for a living. The "Let Love Rule" singer is convinced today's celebrity culture has a negative effect on kids - who all grow up wanting to be "famous" but don't want to work hard in their careers.

And Kravitz insists many young people see TV talent contests as an easy way to fame and fortune. He tells Britain's Glamour magazine, "(These shows) are a reflection of our society. You hear kids saying that they want to be famous, and when you ask them what for, they don't know - they just want to be famous. It's like there is this lack of passion in the doing of something that that might bring you riches. When I was little, I never said I wanted to be famous, I said I wanted to be a musician. I mean, I understand why people like (these TV shows), but will you find a Bob Dylan or a Bob Marley on there? It is what it is."


http://www.absolutepictur...hp?id=7859

Mstrustme said:

Well, I can't disagree with this. Lenny is absolutely right IMO.

I agree with him.

I agree with him and am all for anyone who shits on stuff like "American Idiot" but Lenny ain't got room to talk after selling out and having a trashy shit hopper on his album. I haven't bought another one of his albums after "Baptised".
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[Edited 6/10/09 12:39pm]

vainandy said:

Baptised was not a good album. His latest "Love Revolution" is fantastic. I love the cd and can't get enough of it.

Says the guy who bought the mixing desk from the Abbey Road studios with his wife's money.

novabrkr said:

I don't know this story...tell the tale.

Not to sound like I'm defending the kiddies who want to get famous with no effort, but consider who gave them that attitude in the first place; their parents. These kiddies are the offspring of the baby Boom generation, who was as narcissistic (if not more so) as any of these kids. These parents insisted on telling the world that everything they did was the shiznit, they told older generations that they were too old and that they needed to go away, and they criticized Gen X as a bunch of no-good slackers. Then they raise their kids to believe that they can be anything they want to be when they grow up, which in itself is not such a bad thing, but they took it to extremes. When they took their kids to soccer practice or dance class in the 1990's and the coaches got on the kids for not working hard enough, the parents acted like classic stage momzillas and threatened to have these coaches fired for picking on their "precious" little children.

Add to that fact that today's young twenty-somethings have had nearly all of their major life events filmed on camcorder and transferred to DVD, and it's no wonder that their children believe they should be superstars. That explains a little bit why younger people don't have as much of a problem making sex tapes, posting racy embarrassing photos of themselves on their MySpace or Facebook pages, or texting naked pictures of themselves to their friends.

Plus some of that attitude can be attributed to the general state of the country the last ten years or so. With people leveraging themselves in debt up their eyeballs by refinancing their homes to pay for behemoth SUV's, deluxe kitchens and bathrooms, and big flat panel TV sets, young people can be forgiven for thinking they were entitled to all of the good things they desired. Unfortunately, no one told them they would have to pay for all of this stuff.

vainandy said:

I hated that Jay Z "song" too with a passion - imo the worst thing Lenny's ever done. But give the guy a break, he tries new things and like Empress said, his latest record is excellent.

Back to the point, he hit the nail on the head, kids' priorities are screwed up today and greed and vanity are to blame.

And he's not fame-hungry?

I agree though, NEVER watched a single AI episode.

Harlepolis said:

Hahaha @ the first comment, you have to wonder why people who LIVE for the fame criticize others for it. But then again it ain't like he ain't lying!

I sometimes feel sorry for those that do appear on "American Idol". Only a few have managed to make decent recording careers.

These folks on these shows will never be another Dylan or Marley because those folks toiled long and hard before they caught their breaks. In Marley's case, he'd been around in JA (and successful) for over 10 years before "Catch A Fire" dropped. These kids haven't had the time and experince to hone their talents. They haven't made their bones and shows like this along w/ the net are killing off the live experinces they need. Besides, when did GREAT music ever get born in the mainstream? These shows feed into mainstream middle class values which have absolutely nothing to do w/ great art.

728Huey very on point. You broke it down good.

At least Mr. Romeo Blue didn't just get it handed to him, so I can't beat up on him here!
[Edited 6/10/09 15:24pm]

I agree with the spirit of what he says, but I actually think those people on American Idol work a lot--and they do exactly what they're told to do.

It's a lot of pressure and an "artist" like that doesn't have that much freedom.

When you win, they tell you what your first single will be, when you tour, where you tour, etc.

I'd hate to be on American Idol

NDRU said:

There's not much difference between them and other recording artists - nowadays both groups are puppets.

Harlepolis said:

That's where I think Lenny is wrong. Being a puppet like that is not much different than working 9-5.

Lenny's the one who has it easy!

Harlepolis said:

Slaves to the rhythm is more like it...that is if the song has rhythm at all, lol.

Mstrustme said:

Lenny's absolutely right!!!

728huey said:

It's the same thing with sports i.e basketball, start playing in the alleys/streets, quit school, then all of a sudden you're an NBA superstar( LeBron James) that don't have enough sportsmanship to congratulate your opponent...sickness is all I can say.

I agree with Lenny.I have never watched a single episode of American Idol...not even the episode where Prince made a surprise appearance I'm not into crappy shows like this.

4bjb said:

Lord I got sick of him when he did that. Your team lost fair and square, all you can do is greet them but nah he wouldn't do that. Did he bet on some money to go to the finals or something?

Timmy84 said:

You see thats where the issue is, i would not have so much of a problem with this show, if it wasnt for the Freak-a-Zoids that get air time on the show during auditioning, and also if the common goal of the show is to just be a "star" for a day, no one is really teaching how to grow as an artist, no one is making this kids write or play or put a song together, they are fed everything from week one, then when they make the top 8 they are given what the shows producers feel are the right brands for them. The major issue is that once this show had its first year or two, the thing should have been cancelled, its like something that needs to be taken out back and shot. And its not for the talent on the show, its more for its premise, its played out, we all know the drill

lastdecember said:

Yeah because you can't have William Hung and Sanjaya on your shit and then claim you're looking for talent.

Timmy84 said:

But honestly this is what you are going to get when you let the "general public" text and call in votes, i mean just scan the charts and do we really want to put faith in the general public for the most part?? I mean this is the culture that made Heidi and Spencer stars!

lastdecember said:

Not to mention Octo-Mom and those got-damn Gosselins. They're treating the Gosselins, a couple before this year I didn't know from Adam, like they're a national treasure getting ready to separate. Pure bullshit, also unintentional comedy.
[Edited 6/10/09 17:48pm]

Timmy84 said:

Its just this whole get-rich get-famous get-a-deal and a hit mentality that needs to just go away already. It pissed me off 2 weeks ago when i heard Lionel Richie defend this whole concept of the show?? Not only that he called his new album his best work???? Motherfucker wrote only one song!! Akon and Neyo wrote the rest?? I mean Lionel come on now, i know you wanna be "down" and all, but how about not being "down" for once

lastdecember said:

He WOULD say some shit like that.
[Edited 6/10/09 18:09pm]

Timmy84 said:

Him and Mariah need to duet together, they make a good team of "falling short" and letting down by trying to be down

lastdecember said:

"Halfway There (But Not Getting Close)" should be the name of the song.

lastdecember said:

That partly what I touched on in my last post. This whole "get rich quick" mentality has affected great portions of our society, whether it's Paris Hilton, any of the reality TV wannabes, high school athletes jumping straight into the NBA (or after one year of college), or the charlatans on Wall Street that created all of the collateralized debt obligations and credit default swaps that brought down our economy. I think that this mentality really peaked with the release of "The Secret", which gave people the impression that all they needed to do to get rich was to think about getting rich and rely on the law of attraction. While there is a kernel of truth about attracting what you want in life, they forget that the main components of the law of attraction is action. In other words, while it's okay to dream about or wish to get rich, one still has to do the work to bring their dreams into fruition.