"Black and White America," released on August 30, 2011, is the ninth studio album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz. The album features a blend of rock, funk, and soul influences and explores themes of race, identity, and unity. It produced six singles released throughout 2011 and 2012, contributing to its overall impact and visibility. The album reflects Kravitz's signature style and continues his exploration of social and personal themes through music.
On his official website, Lenny Kravitz described his new album as initially feeling like "Negrophilia," but he later shifted the concept to something else. On December 13, 2010, he announced that the album would be titled Black and White America and that it would be his first release with Roadrunner Records/Atlantic Records under the joint label Loud & Proud.
Kravitz originally set out to complete an album called Negrophilia while in the Bahamas, but he was inspired to write a different album after watching a documentary about President Obama's election and encountering intense racist sentiments. This experience prompted him to create Black and White America as a response to these views. He also mentioned that he came up with the song "Push" while waiting to shoot a scene in the 2009 film Precious and that the title track was inspired by another, more disturbing film.
Despite speculation, Kravitz clarified that Black and White America was not a direct evolution from Negrophilia and expressed frustration over the confusion, stating that the two albums were unrelated.
In an interview with The San Francisco Chronicle, Kravitz emphasized that his extended time working on the album allowed him to reach a place of peace and focus on his art. He also noted to The Miami Herald that he doesn't compare his music, seeing each album as a distinct individual piece of his work.
Kravitz announced "Come On Get It" as the album's first single, which was featured in an NBA commercial in late 2010. The second single, "Stand," was released on Facebook and iTunes, with a video debuting on YouTube and Vevo on June 6. "Push" was released as the third single.
