Ian “Cylenz” Lee is a Trinidadian creative professional whose documented work spans production, writing, video direction, creative direction, and styling. He is best known as a leader of BLAKGOLD and a co-founder of New Haven Collective, an art initiative established with Safia Elena Ali and photographer Marlon James.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Professional name | Ian “Cylenz” Lee |
| Documented roles | Producer, writer, director, creative director, and stylist |
| Creative collective | BLAKGOLD |
| BLAKGOLD role | Identified as one of its leaders |
| Public art initiative | New Haven Collective |
| Fellow co-founders | Safia Elena Ali and Marlon James |
| Other credited work | Video direction, creative direction, and styling |
His Leadership and Production Work With BLAKGOLD
A 2021 Trinidad and Tobago Newsday report identified BLAKGOLD as an EDM collective led by Lee and producer Natassja Hammond, professionally known as The Wixard. The account came from producer Joseph “Prince Pronto” Figueroa, Lee’s cousin and collaborator.
During the 2020 quarantine period, Lee and Prince Pronto worked together at Kitchen Studio in Marabella, Trinidad. Their sessions combined cinematic influences with Afrobeat, reggaeton and dancehall. The pair produced about 40 demos and compositions intended for major record labels and emerging artists.
This collaboration provides the clearest account of Lee’s practical work as a writer and producer. Newsday described him as one of BLAKGOLD’s leaders, although the report did not define the collective’s legal structure or attribute sole ownership to him.
Published project credits also show Lee working across the collective’s audio and visual output. In 2017, he and Jasmyn Asvat were credited as co-directors of an official BLAKGOLD video. Actress Kandyse McClure later credited Lee and Ryan C. Khan with jointly directing another BLAKGOLD video in 2018.
These projects demonstrate that Lee’s involvement extended beyond studio production to the visual direction and presentation of the collective’s work.
Creative Direction and Styling
Lee’s public credits include creative direction and styling as well as writing, production and directing. A photograph published by the Trinidad Guardian in 2019 credited Lee and Safia Elena Ali for its creative direction and styling, with Marlon James named as the photographer.
The collaboration connected three creatives who would also establish New Haven Collective. It showed how Lee’s work moved across disciplines rather than staying confined to a single production role.
Safia Elena Ali described him as a creative director, stylist, and producer when discussing their partnership. Her description closely matches the range of roles recorded in his published credits.
Co-Founding New Haven Collective
In an October 2019 Trinidad Guardian interview, Ali said that she had partnered with Lee and James to establish New Haven Collective.
The founders intended the collective to use artistic expression to encourage constructive communication and engagement. Its stated focus included equality, diversity and inclusion, giving Lee’s collaborative work a public and social dimension distinct from his BLAKGOLD production credits.
The collective announced its first project as a photographic series and interactive exhibition titled Magnetic Sin. It focused on women’s strength when confronting gender inequality in everyday life.
When the Guardian interview appeared, the project was still in development. The report establishes Lee’s role in founding the collective and developing its initial work, but it does not document a later opening date or venue for the exhibition.
A Creative Career Across Several Disciplines
Lee’s documented record shows a progression across production, writing, and visual presentation. His BLAKGOLD credits from 2017 and 2018 established his involvement in writing and co-directing. By 2019, his work included creative direction, styling and the formation of New Haven Collective.
His 2020 collaboration with Prince Pronto then returned the focus to studio production. Their approximately 40 demos represented an intensive creative period and connected Lee’s work with material intended for both established labels and developing artists.
Together, these credits identify Ian Cylenz Lee as a multidisciplinary creative rather than someone tied to a single role. His public record is defined most clearly by his leadership at BLAKGOLD, his production and directing work, and his role in founding New Haven Collective.