By now you've heard that Teena Marie passed away on Sunday. Across the web, particularly Facebook and Twitter, people have expressed thoughts of remembrance and well wishes that come along when a person who's touched their life in some small or big way leaves this life. This morning, Lenny Kravitz posted a video to do the same. Recorded from a hotel room in Paris, Lenny Kravitz has on a black hoodie and is talking in a very somber tone. I'll be honest, at first glance, I thought, why is he taking her passing THIS hard. You know how some people overly dramatize things? Thirty seconds later it became clear. Apparently Lenny Kravitz had a very close relationship with Teena Marie; one that he says he has never really talked about. When he was a teenager/struggling musician, Teena Marie gave him a place to stay, gave him instruments to practice with, and took him to recording sessions and concerts. He said if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be who he is today. more..

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The wave of reflections about Michael Jackson's passing is likely to shut down the internet: Google news stories in the upper thousands; Twitter admins on server alert. Lenny Kravitz broke Twitter's 140 character limit to reflect on Michael Jackson's legacy in this very thoughtful multi-part Tweet I recombine for your reading pleasure.. more..

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Lee Daniels' "Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire" was a surprise winner at this year's Sundance Film festival, winning both Grand Jury and Audience awards. I posted about this film when it went into production, Lee Daniels Bringing "Push" to the Big Screen That was late 2007, since that time, you may have seen a few trailers for movies with the same title. Dakota Fanning's new movie is a Push thing. So you'll understand the new distinction Lee Daniels had to make. This is the movie based on the book.. in which an overweight, illiterate, 16-year-old Harlem girl is impregnated by her father, abused by her mother, is HIV positive, and is just trying to figure out what it all means. more..

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In this month's Interview magazine, Eva Mendes said what's in the gossip pages is rarely true. The length of that comment was, it's a good thing, because the truth is actually worse. The worse 'truth' about Lenny Kravitz's involvement in the A-Rod/Madonna mess was leaked to Page Six. You gotta love this.. more..

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After Sista Souljah's "The Coldest Winter Ever," one of the most memorable, modern, black novels I've read is Sapphire's "Push." Though it's second on the list, it will be first to hit the big screen. Lee Daniels, the producer responsible for casting Halle Berry in Monster's Ball, has expanded his ambition to directing movies. His first two films "Shadowboxer" and "The Woodsman" were well received, both notable for their 'cutting edge' subject matter, Push will continue along that line. Push tells the story of a confused, overweight African-American girl, Claireece Precious Jones. Verbally abused by her mother, sexually abused by her father, her family troubles lead to problems in school. She has no friends, no money, two kids (courtesy of Dad), she's damn near illiterate, and left to decipher the mess her life is in on her own. It's work of fiction, yet it's easy to imagine some girl living the story as we speak. The book reads like the pages of her diary. more..

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