The four-time Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz has long been known for his boundary-pushing music, but recently he took to social media to show a more personal side, offering fans a glimpse into his childhood home on New York City’s Upper East Side.
On Sept. 16, he posted on Instagram a heartfelt video tour of the one-bedroom apartment he grew up in, living with his parents, actress Roxie Roker and TV producer Sy Kravitz.
‘Where It All Began’
In the clip, Kravitz fondly reminisced about his time on East 82nd Street, where his family occupied the third floor of a Gothic-style building during his early years. He says, this is, for him, “where it all began.”
“We lived on the third floor and it was a one-bedroom apartment. My parents gave me the bedroom, and they slept on a couch in the living room,” Kravitz explained as he panned the camera to showcase the old windows and the wood-burning fireplace.
The apartment, which is currently valued at $11,000 a month according to Zillow, still holds a place in his heart. He pointed out nearby landmarks, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which he jokingly called his “backyard,” and a neighboring building once home to NFL legend Joe Namath.
Beyond the apartment itself, the “American Woman” chart-topper highlighted a local diner, now renamed, where he learned to tie his shoes, and PS6, his former elementary school.
“I have so many beautiful memories of this place,” he said, even sharing that the bar is where he tied his shoe for the first time.
These memories encapsulated what Kravitz described as a key influence on his personal growth and his musical career.
“I grew up being a New York kid. My mom taught me to be independent,” he shared in a May interview with CBS Mornings.
The Instagram tour, posted shortly after Kravitz’s win for Best Rock Video at the 2024 MTV VMAs, echoed the rock star’s appreciation for his roots. Returning to New York for the awards show, Kravitz seemed to reconnect with his upbringing, reflecting on the profound impact the city had on his journey as an artist and designer.
While New York shaped much of his early years, Kravitz has since become a global citizen, with properties spanning multiple continents.
His most iconic residence is perhaps his 1,000-acre retreat in Brazil, where he frequently escapes to find creative solitude, according to Architectural Digest. The massive estate, a former coffee plantation, features sprawling gardens and a mix of rustic and luxurious elements that reflect Kravitz’s artistic sensibility.
Kravitz also has a home in the Bahamas, where his mother’s family is from, located on the island of Eleuthera. The space is not as luxurious as his other properties, as it is an Airstream trailer.
Across the ocean, in Europe, he has a Parisian townhouse, nestled in the 16th arrondissement.
Closer to Hollywood, Kravitz designed and technically owns a mansion in the Hollywood Hills West, perched on a hilltop above the Sunset Strip, called The Stanley House, the city’s first single-family home. He recently put the property on the market for $38 million.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the singer said, “I meant this house to be sold to somebody who has a family or to a baller who wants to party.”
One home he does keeps for himself is his $1.16 million Creole villa, located just a block from Bourbon Street’s bustle in New Orleans.
He once owned a palatial Miami mansion, registering at 25,000 square feet, which he sold in 2005 for $16.5 million, but his collection of homes remains a testament to his eclectic style and global lifestyle.
While he appears to be a real estate king now, as an owner and a designer, it all started back when he was a kid in a small apartment in New York City.