Lenny Kravitz recently praised the Jackson 5 for their impact on him and for setting the standard for perfection in the music industry. Speaking to PEOPLE for the Black History Month issue, Kravitz recalled the first time he saw the Jackson siblings, born in Gary, Indiana, who would later go on to dominate the industry.
Lenny Kravitz praises the Jackson 5
Whille speaking to PEOPLE, Kravitz spoke about the very first time he saw Michael Jackson, Randy Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Jackie Jackson, the five young siblings from humble beginnings born in Gary, Indiana perform onstage.
“Rock and roll is something that means a lot to me, the art form, and it's something that at 5 years of age took me,” Kravitz told the publication after admitting he views himself an artist more than a rock star.
He continued, “Going to see the Jackson 5 for the first time at Madison Square Garden. Those were rock stars.” The Hunger Games actor recalled what it was like to witness the “I Want You Back” hitmakers on stage long before he was an award-winning artist himself when he was just a little boy from New York sitting in the audience. 
Kravitz added, “Those were young Black rock stars that were doing it to the fullest. The art form, the music, the singing, the choreography, the fashion, everything was perfection. So dynamic and that's what took me. And so I am proud to be part of that lineage."
During his interview, Kravitz, who has never shied away from being an open book, expressed the difficulties he faced when it came time to make his mark in music. “I was told my music wasn’t Black enough or wasn't white enough," he recalled of when he began trying to get labels and industry execs to listen to his recordings.
Kravitz further added, "I was told that I need to make the music that Black people commercially are making that's on the radio, so you'll have success. And I just could never get with any of that. I was going to make the music that I made."
However, that was a different story when he was around the people who raised him. "No one in my circle ever said, 'You have to choose or you should choose,'" Kravitz said.
Eventually, Lenny Kravitz found a home with Virgin Records, where he released his first eight studio albums. "I was not going to sign a deal where people were going to tell me what I had to do, and I finally found the people that believed in me and that's where I went," he added.
Exploring Jackson 5's career
The Jackson 5 was an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most of their career consisted of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. They were managed by their father Joe Jackson. The group was among the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.
The Jackson 5 was a group that performed in talent shows and clubs on the Chitlin' Circuit. They signed with Steeltown Records in 1967 and released two singles. In 1968, they left Steeltown and signed with Motown, where they became the first group to debut with four consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. They achieved sixteen Top-40 singles. In 1976, they left Motown for Epic Records, where they released four studio albums and one live album between 1976 and 1981, including successful albums Destiny and Triumph.
The brothers also released solo albums, most successfully Michael. In 1983, Jermaine reunited with the band to perform on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special. They released the Victory album the following year, followed by an extensive tour that also featured songs from Michael's solo albums.
After the Victory tour, Michael and Marlon left the group. The remaining four released the poorly received 2300 Jackson Street album in 1989 before being dropped from their label. In 2001, the Jacksons reunited on Michael's 30th Anniversary Celebration TV special. The four eldest of the brothers embarked on their Unity Tour in 2012 following Michael's death, and they planned several major performances for 2017.
The Jackson 5 has sold over 100 million records worldwide and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980. In 1997, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with two of their recordings, ABC and I Want You Back, being among the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
