Lenny Kravitz Honors His Caribbean Heritage Mother, Roxie Roker, at 2024 MTV Video Music Awards
New York, NY, September 12, 2024: Famed rocker Lenny Kravitz, 60, honored his Caribbean heritage mother, Roxie Roker, last night, as he celebrated his win for Best Rock at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
Lenny Kravitz with mother Roxie Roker attending the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards at Universal City in Los Angeles, California 09/02/93 (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
Kravitz, who won the VMA MTV Award for his song “Human,” dedicated the award to Roker, who passed away in 1995 after a battle with cancer.
“Wow. This is incredible. I am so grateful. Thirty-one years ago, my mother was with me at an award show, was at the VMAs, so I dedicate this to her,” Kravitz shared in a pre-show interview.
Lenny Kravitz and Quavo perform onstage during the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV)
Roker, best known for her role as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, had accompanied her son to the 1993 MTV VMAs. Her roots had extended to the Bahamas, where Kravitz currently also has a home.
Lenny Kravitz at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards held at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)
About Roxie Roker
Roxie Roker was born in Miami, Florida, to Bessie Roker (née Mitchell) from Georgia, who worked as a domestic, and Albert Roker, a porter from Andros, The Bahamas. She was raised in Brooklyn, New York.
Roker studied drama at Howard University under renowned drama teachers Anne Cooke Reid and Owen Dodson. Her classmates included novelist Toni Morrison and playwright Shauneille Perry, and she was part of the Howard Players, the university’s theater troupe. In 1949, Roker toured Norway with the group on a trip sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and supported by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Roker launched her career with the Negro Ensemble Company and became a distinguished stage actress, winning an Obie Award in 1974 and earning a Tony nomination for her role in The River Niger. In the 1970s, she worked as a reporter for WNEW-TV in New York and hosted a public affairs program called Inside Bed-Stuy.
Roker broke barriers in her role as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, becoming part of the first interracial couple portrayed as regulars on prime-time television. She also appeared in various TV shows, including Punky Brewster, A Different World, Murder, She Wrote, and Fantasy Island, and had roles in Roots and the film Claudine. Additionally, she was an advocate for children, recognized for her community work in Los Angeles.
In 1962, Roker married television producer Sy Kravitz. Their interracial marriage paralleled her character on The Jeffersons. The couple had one son, Lenny Kravitz, and divorced in 1985. Roker was also a second cousin, once removed, of weather anchor Al Roker.
Conclusion
Lenny Kravitz’s dedication of his award to his mother, Roxie Roker, was a touching moment that highlighted the importance of family and heritage. Kravitz’s mother was a trailblazing actress who broke barriers on television and stage, and her legacy continues to inspire her son and others.
FAQs
- What was Roxie Roker’s role on the TV show The Jeffersons?
- Roxie Roker played the role of Helen Willis, the wife of Tom Willis, on the popular TV show The Jeffersons.
- What was Lenny Kravitz’s win at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards?
- Lenny Kravitz won the award for Best Rock at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
- Where was Roxie Roker born?
- Roxie Roker was born in Miami, Florida.
- What was Roxie Roker’s heritage?
- Roxie Roker had roots in the Bahamas, where her father, Albert Roker, was from.
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