We were lucky to catch up with Cy White recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with inspirations and heroes. Are there any historical figures you look up to?

There are a couple historical figures who are beyond iconic to me.

1. Josephine Baker. Talk about someone who absolutely changed the game for Black performers, she came from terrible circumstances, was told no and she very SWIFTLY said, “Umm, child, whatever.” She took herself to France, where she knew she would be loved for being who she truly was. And she loved passionately and with intention. If you were in her favor, you were truly highly favored. She also was a war hero, something many people don’t remember or even really know about her. While that could be my anecdote (I implore everyone to look up her history with the French military), I want to talk about her legacy in France. So well-loved was this woman that not only was she portrayed in one of the most incredible animated films in the last 50 years (Les Triplettes de Belleville), she was the first Black woman to be immortalized in the French Pantheon. A true legend.

2. Eartha Kitt. Another woman who withstood the most terrible of circumstances: the product of assault, abandoned by her mother, blacklisted by Hollywood and branded as a threat to “American values.” However, just like Baker, she never once apologized or compromised herself. She stood up to LBJ and Lady Bird Johnson at a women’s luncheon held by the first lady, where the women basically postured as wilting violets to talk about “the most important topics of the day,” which in their minds extended as far as “juvenile delinquents.” Kitt instead questioned why no one was actually talking about the root of the problem: kids coming back from a war they were forced to be in, suffering from unimaginable PTSD with little to no support. She had big talent, a big personality and a big mouth (which she used to speak 9 languages and sing in 12). Speaking of never compromising, just look a portion of an autobiographical film where she’s being interviewed by a man who dared to say, to her face, “If a man came into your life, wouldn’t you want to compromise?” My queen LAUGHED, WITH HER WHOLE BODY, looked at that man with those glorious eyes and said with a voice dripping with disdain, “Stupid!”

These two queens have taught me to never, EVER compromise who I am. To always speak to your values and stand up for those who are constantly silenced. To be a beacon of individuality and truth, to be authentic to one’s self. And above all else, be effortlessly iconic in everything you do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I’m Cy! I’m a music journalist, editor and all-around nerd. To talk about how I got here, I have to start with when I was about 1 year old. My mother read to me every, single night. I began ready when I was about 1 1/2 and have been obsessed with words ever since. I wrote my first poem in second grade and realized that words are more than just a gateway to different world; words are magic. You can actually summon magic, create spells and incantations, change the stars. Without even realizing it, I already knew what I was going to be.

As far as services, I’m an editor by trade/profession, and that just feeds my need for words. I literally get paid to read, and things I get to read are varied in style, substance, level of execution. I read it all and love being able to help people make their words come alive. I’ve also been a music journalist for nearly 15 years. My love of writing is second only to my absolute ardor for music. I grew up around it, with members of my immediate family being professional musicians. More than what sets me apart, what makes me great at what I do is that everything is that I am is about music, and I live that. From the way I write to how I edit with music all around me. I live, eat, breathe, shit music and words. Let me put it to you like this. When people ask me why I’m an editor, I tell them “I love to read.” When they respond, “Well, I like to read too,” I simply shake my head and say, “Nah, you don’t understand.” Music and words are everything to me, and helping others bring their words to solid fruition is a passion that sprouted from my obsession with words.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to build a company that specifically caters to Black, Brown and Indigenous creatives and gives them a place to nurture their talents and passions. This drives me because in 2024 we are STILL demeaning, disrespecting and neglecting creatives of color. My passion dictates I absolutely MUST give my people their flowers and their money.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There are three pieces of media I’ve consumed in 2023 that actually gave me the motivation to make intentional moves toward my dreams (in order of how I experienced them):

1. Will Smith’s autobiography “Will.” This man has done two things his entire life: be completely honest about his shortcomings as a person and worked his hardest to rectify them. For all the hubbub over his ONE actual public display of stupidity (because no doubt it was stupid, but where is that energy with Roman Polanski? That’s what I thought), this man has always striven to be a better man today than he was yesterday. This also drives him to always reach for higher, in all aspects of his life. His personal journey really touched me and showed that the ultimate goal is to always be a better person. (It probably helps that we’re birthday twins.)

2. Sylvester Stallone’s documentary “Sly.” Talk about a man who made a way out of absolutely no way. An abusive household, a disability that left one side of his face partially paralyzed, an industry that typecast him as nothing more than a thug from the moment he showed up. This man is a poet, a writer, a visionary, a dreamer, and his entire life has been about doing more, more, more. More writing. More dreaming. More fighting. He understands and respects where he came from. He also has respect for where he is. He understands that people know him as Rocky and Rambo, and he tells those stories with heart and authenticity. This is a man who knows his branding, and what he’s branding is authenticity.

3. Beyonce’s “Renaissance” documentary. While that seems like a no-brainer, honestly, I didn’t see it for the concert. I am so in love with the creative process, especially from Black creatives, whenever I get a chance to see how their visions come to concrete life, I am in awe. Of course the music was fun, the show was stellar. But what was really important was being able to see how she was so single-minded in her vision, nothing would stop her from making it happen. From a technical standpoint, there’s a lot of that tour that really shouldn’t have worked the way it did (you could see it in the doc, and even hear it from the woman herself), but she has a single-minded belief that is unshakeable. And even when her voice trembles and her knees get weak, she grips the edge of the stage, drinks some water and does what needs to be done. Not only that, she makes it unquestionably clear that this is NOT a singular effort. She has the vision, but she’s not arrogant enough to believe that she would have even managed the first show without everyone involved, and she gave flowers to each and every person, from the one who laid the first lighting panel to the janitor. She also made it exceptionally clear that as a Black woman in any industry where you take lead, you will ALWAYS be challenged, always be questioned by cis-hetero white men who have nothing on their side but audacity and a history of patriarchy. Even in the face of that, you have to stick to your guns, know your shit and never let anyone tell you No when the answer is so obviously Yes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.madasammmusic.com/press-kit
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/mindless_cy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camielewhite/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb3LN9dIEZ1TJfD0DSAc_lg
• Other: https://muckrack.com/cy-white

Image Credits
All photos provided by Cy White