Cyd Tells All

Welcome to the real, raw, and uncut testimony of my life in real-time. If you’re new to the podcast, this unfolding has been happening since June 25th, 2023. Six seasons later and God went, “Yeah, give ‘em another one.” I find this funny because I fought starting this venture for literal years. I told myself nobody wanted to hear me yap. I told myself that I was too soft-spoken but also too animat...

All I have is 5 minutes for this ending. It’s not because I don’t care to give Season 6 of my tell-all podcast a proper goodbye. It’s because I’m ready to be in the moment again. To get caught up in living. I was a little confused when God asked me to record 3 episodes and release them back-to-back, but I will be obedient nonetheless. So, at 7:07 pm on Monday, March 3rd, 2025, a little more than a...

Imma need you to keep an open mind and hear me out. Not even a minute into this, I mentioned praying for our enemies. I know, I know! As an optimist and someone who gives unconditional love from Day 1, I hit my own nerve so you’re not alone. Once you become an enemy of mine, I close that door, deadbolt it, go over it with brick, and the most you’ll get outta me is cordial behavior. I’m kind, not n...

This wouldn’t be the first time one of my videos inspired my writing. I find it funny that someone as soft-spoken as me has such power in her words. I’ve reached more people than I can count by speaking life to a past version of me or my current circle of friends, family, and community. I guess that’s why I’m shocked that “writer” was such a hard title for me to own. Let me explain. It wasn’t that...

Hope, The 4-letter word that leaves hearts torn and joy alive. Hope is bittersweet in taste. Often something we’re chewing on while we sit on the intersection of Past Avenue and Present Lane, sometimes in our hometown, waiting on our ride to The Future. We may not always be joined by youngins like Bright Eyes and Smiles, nor old-timers like Anger and Sadness, but that ride never leaves us quite th...

In this episode, I unpack the opportunity found in knowledge. Freedom. Beauty. Power. Wealth. What I did not do is touch on the fact that knowledge is often kept behind the gates to protect from the inevitable liberation that comes with seeking the truth and unpacking the trauma bonds that tried to mold us. Capitalism no longer holds me nor does religion. I am stitched together by God’s love and m...

As I reminisce on today’s events— Atom Blk’s The Eden Experience and Black Media Guild’s “I Love the ‘90s…in Black” , I strive to remind you that your name is being spoken about in rooms you’re not even in yet because you’re you. You’re worth the time, energy, and effort of trying something new, going to that event alone, creating that thing, healing. That doesn’t change just because someone is un...

Before we enter Black History Month in the Year 2025, I wanted to dive into a prayer for my people (IYKYK) and their God Year. In Jesus name, may this Black History Month be full of joy, prosperity, and audacious faith that God’s got you because everything will work out in your favor. Stay prayed up, focused on the present, and go where you are celebrated. This is a public episode. If you'd like t...

On Monday, January 27th, as I was talking to God and going about my routine, a statement hit me that until this day that I had never spoken out loud, “I don’t want to maybe my life away.” In this episode, you will hear the most chaotic (and honest) prayer for all my listeners and learn what I mean by “maybe-ing your life away.” In the words of Natija, “if you wanted to settle, you would have done...

If you do nothing else this year, find the light or be the light. In this episode, I touch on two books I’m currently reading and what’s next on my to-be-read (TBR) list. I’m less than 120 pages into Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams and The Davenports by Krystal Marquis but I’m already excited for their sequels! What are you currently finding joy in this Winter? This is a public episode. If...

What started as a conversation about how music is universal, no matter what language the artist is speaking, and my initial reaction to listening to track one ( NUEVAYoL ) of Bad Bunny’s latest drop, DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS , quickly turned into a sentiment I shared with Perri Jones about constantly working towards being a part of something greater than ourselves and going outside of the boxes we put...

In Season 6, Episode 3, I discuss the events of January 15th and everything leading up to this moment in the year 2025. I am someone who will always go deeper and connect the dots. Clearly. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cydneyrai.substack.com/subscribe

In honor of the New Year, I thought it was appropriate to list a few things we need to leave behind in 2024. While most people are focusing on resolutions, it’s easy to bypass the baggage you’re bringing in to a new time if you’re not an introspective type or just don’t know how to even start about identifying it and letting it go. These are things, collectively, I pray we’re all leaving behind in...

Season 6 has officially begun! Still intuitive, still silly, still 100% Cyd. Find out what I’ve been enjoying about my downtime, which gems I’m dropping, what event I’m supporting (not sponsored), and what my notes during my devotional study, and time with God, really sound like. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit c...

In this episode, I’m breaking down the first 30 minutes of Netflix’s Damsel —no spoilers, just sharing the moments that had me saying, “YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS!” And no, this isn’t a sponsored review that Netflix requested ( how cool would that be? ); I’m just here to give my honest take on why Damsel flips some old-school damsel-in-distress narratives on their head and brings something new to the...

In Season 5, Episode 12, I hop on over to Threads to read some of my affirmations and posts from this month. I think there are 13 in total and I really don’t give you any breathing room once we start talking about forgiveness. You’ve been warned. 😅 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cydneyrai.substack.com/subscribe

In Season 5, Episode 11 of my tell-all podcast, I dive into a transformative journey through a year dedicated to live music. From the electric energy of Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR to soulful vibes at Bonnaroo Festival with acts like Amber Mark and Danielle Ponder or controversial genius like Lil Nas X to longtime faves like Dear Silas and Paramore , and the unforgettable Erykah Badu, who bro...

In Season 5, Episode 10, I was up around 4:44 am and started talking around 05:05 am about my journey as a creative in business, why I do what I do what I do, and dropping gems— a little sprinkle sprinkle if you will — about what you could implement to make entrepreneurship easier on you. I even had the nerve to talk about the digital products I currently offer on cydneyirby.com and hint at what’s...

In Season 5, Episode 9, God woke me up around 5 am and immediately had me record the prayer for the next year of your life, or your new year. You can start over again, with God, at any point. You can come as you are and embrace the return. You can accept and agree to God-life integration. Let our Father in. He wants to be your friend. He wants to be your consultant. He wants to be your everything...

I bet you weren’t expecting me to ever record an episode during the final minutes of a football game but here we are! As the fourth quarter came to a close — and I dramatically live reacted on Instagram to the Georgia vs. Alabama game — I felt the pull to start recording a voice memo and find the word in two undefeated teams going head to head so early in the 2024 season and why you don’t take it...

In Season 5, Episode 7, I explain the concept of SBS Live or Small Business Saturday Live, how that expanded into a private Slack community called “The C.O.R.E. Collective”, and how these two things are just pieces of a much larger puzzle to the empire, or kingdom, God is asking me to nurture and lead. I also give a special shoutout to Charlotte is Creative , Sophia , Sasha , and everyone at the 7...

In Season 5, Episode 6, I hint as much as I can to what’s coming for my own kingdom evolution and why everything I’ve ever done makes SO much more sense now when it comes to branding and marketing consulting as it relates to small businesses, building communities of connection, my social impact work over the last 15+ years, any user-generated content (UGC) creation, and whatever else I’ve done tha...

In an unexpected twist, I decided to record Episode 5 of Season 5 while trapped in the parking lost post-Kehlani concert. Yeah, you read that right! For my 34th birthday, I decided to treat myself to an early birthday concert experience and go to see Kehlani who recently gave me another no-skip album to rave about, CRASH. Opening acts Anycia and FLO also did their thing with FLO giving us 90’s R&B...

While Season 5, Episode 4 was recorded just days before October began. Since it’s the first official episode in my month, it just HAD to be about celebrating all I’ve done, who I am, and that I exist or at least some major things, up until now! This was originally inspired by a word by Luvvie Ajayi Jones I stumbled upon on Threads but I don’t believe in coincidences! She said exactly what I needed...

As the month of September draws to a close, my Source (God) asked for me to release a prayer over the next month of your life. For me, this was concerning the month of October. For you, you may be hearing it at a different pivotal point of time or you may be listening to it at the end of each month or whenever you need it. Towards the end of this prayer, I was clearly trying to ask God to correct...