die Entstehungsgeschichte
The Cypher Society exists as a space where real lyricists meet, compete, and thrive. Deeply coded lyrics ciphered and performed by MC's from all walks of life. From Hip-Hop pioneers to enthusiasts and real fans, we live to decipher the meaning behind metaphors and to peel back the layers of true artistry. It goes without saying, the name has a double meaning.
Uniting people through Hip-Hop music is a key element in our mission. From the constant influx of artists voicing their truth and honing their craft amongst one another, to the conscious listeners, existing and potential fans, and to the masses, mindlessly scrolling through feeds. TCS bridges the gaps between entertainment and education, between culture and craft. We hope that no matter what place you are in, we are able to reach you by way of this art form, and break through the isolating barriers of today's world.
Empowerment is engrained in this movement. The Cypher Society challenges every artist to demonstrate consistency and strive for improvement. The energy and collective effort is undeniable. Complacency has no place here. Through this relentless process we reinforce the grit that shapes our perspective as artists, keeping that day one mentality and doing everything it takes to bring art to the forefront of our lives. This is empowerment. Progressing through chapters when we feel we have nothing to add to the page yet we write on it anyways. Witnessing MC's in peak form demolishing the very ground we stand on, and allowing that to fuel us. Standing beside greatness, rather than avoiding it to maintain the illusive, inflated sense of uniqueness that many artists suffer from. Accepting the extraordinary talents that can't be ignored, and drawing inspiration from those moments of fear and inadequacy. Moving the needle and taking your craft to an untouched atmosphere, when nobody is asking or expecting you to. Rolling the dice on that one rhyme scheme or metaphor that only few notice. Inventing new characters in a verse or dropping references that will go over heads for years to come. This is empowerment.
This brings us to the final piece of the mission statement. Celebration of the craft. This is paramount to all that comes before it in the mission statement. In fact, it is this very action that manifests unification and empowerment. The industry wants you to be consumed with everything except the art. Promotion, marketing, performance rights, networking, features, opening acts, interviews, the list goes on... While all of these have objective importance from a business standpoint, they can't replace the music. Creation is sacred, the side quests hold no flame to it. While the entire internet reminds you of everything I just listed at nauseam, we celebrate creation. TCS has become like home to many for this reason if nothing else. Consistent, hungry artists who come back because they found a place that reminds us all of why we do this. In this ever-changing artistic landscape with stubborn roots wrapped around identity, self-esteem, pride, and spirit; we celebrate.
This path forward is through uncharted territory. We admire all who came before us. There are those who have poured their heart and soul into hip-hop through organizing or participating in cyphers. It is true that our values may align to some degree in specific areas of what we do. However, The Cypher Society is a bit different. The plan is to carry the message on a global scale and wherever this goes, it started right here Michigan. TCS has never been centralized in one city but we continue to pay homage to the homes of Hip-Hop that have had irrefutable impact on the culture. We do this while intentionally expanding that impact - allowing it to be sourced from different pockets of the planet, introducing novel corners of creation.
die Entstehungsgeschichte
The Cypher Society was founded by Logan Muncy, a rapper, songwriter and musician from Commerce, MI, whose passion for hip-hop cyphers birthed a movement dedicated to lyrical excellence. Inspired by his experiences with Mission Underground (World Emcee) in 2015 and 2022, and 107.5 Detroit Radio’s Friday Night Cyphers in 2019 (hosted by DJBJ "Mr. 3525)—where Muncy won 10 consecutive lobby battles (week 160-169) to become a core member and secure his spot on the airwaves—Muncy sought to recreate the sense of fellowship and brotherhood he found in those spaces. When the 107.5 cyphers ended abruptly, Muncy channeled that longing into a new vision: a platform for artists to sharpen their skills, showcase their bars, and connect through the art of lyricism.
The idea resurfaced in 2022 after Muncy threw a hometown show in Commerce, featuring local artists and original collaborators like Auzzie, Oz 1Hunnit, Smaulz, TyroAudio, and Joey Keys. TyroAudio produced the beat that started it all—a cypher for the show’s artists. From there, Muncy envisioned continuous cyphers every two weeks, uniting his longtime rap affiliates and good friends to create something bigger. This marked the birth of
The Cypher Society.
Muncy envisioned continuous cyphers every two weeks, bringing together his former fellow rap crew to build something greater. He saw a gap in the current landscape of Hip-Hop, filled with watered down rap lacking lyrical depth, unable to expand consciousness or provoke thought. He believed this platform was what hip-hop needed.
The Cypher Society became a space for the mastery of wordplay and hidden meanings, like complex double entendres and cultural references. Muncy knew it was possible, having seen comparable platforms thrive, confident in the talent around him, and determined to develop the skills and dedicate the time to make it a reality.
Muncy, as the founder, creative director, driving force, and executive producer organizes the cyphers, solely manages the platform, and has excelled in video production to deliver the high-quality content that defines The Cypher Society’s videos, bringing his vision to life. What began as Muncy’s personal mission soon became a shared vision, as original members like Auzzie, Oz 1Hunnit, Smaulz, TyroAudio, Joey Keys, Black Koncept and the many featured artists that follow embraced the idea, contributing their talents and energy to help the movement flourish while staying true to its focus on lyrical excellence. Chapters I–V were filmed on an iPhone 13 Pro in a vertical, live-recorded style inspired by underground movements like The Punchline Academy, featuring a single artist rapping in the control room at Dark Web Studios. Chapter VI introduced the group-style format, encapsulating the true spirit of cyphers historically with a modern twist. Verses pre-recorded with videos shot afterward, laying the foundation for the formula used to this day. By Chapter XI, Muncy upgraded his equipment, blending iPhone and camera footage, and by Chapter XII, transitioned fully to a Sony camera for a polished look, with Chapter XIII and beyond continuing this standard.
Founder of Dark Web Studios and Pass the Mic, Oz 1Hunnit plays a vital role in The Cypher Society, bringing his extensive experience as a skilled audio engineer from building and operating several studios over the years to host and engineer many of the cyphers to this day; recording dozens of artists in a single session, arranging 20+ minute tracks and mixing on the fly. This set him apart from many in the profession while providing a home base early on for the movement to grow. Muncy and Oz’s complementary strengths enable fast turnarounds that keep up with the rapid-paced workflow of the cyphers, a pace monumental to the momentum of the movement. At its core, The Cypher Society’s mission is to bring people together through Hip-Hop, empower artists in the process, and above all else celebrate the craft. While The Cypher Society has fostered a sense of community, with artists like the original members and frequent contributors earning jerseys for their dedication, the mission has always been to give lyricists a stage to bring their best bars and elevate their craft.
Auzzie, an original member, stepped up by investing in camera equipment and first assisted with visuals on Chapter XXII. His contributions have been immense, rising to a fellow lead videographer in recent chapters. While Muncy handles all of the visual edits, Auzzie’s support behind the lens has elevated the production quality, reflecting his dedication to the movement’s growth.
To date, The Cypher Society has featured 85 artists across all chapters, from originals to new talents, each bringing their unique flavor to The Cypher Society. Among them, many have embraced the vision, showing up to rap with passion, leading to bigger turnouts and longer cyphers. Muncy’s vision continues to drive us, creating a space where lyricism thrives, and every cypher is a chance to decipher the art of hip-hop.
Dark-Web-Studios
Dark Web Studios wurde von Ian Totton, bekannt als OZ 1Hunnit, gegründet und betrieben, einem vielseitigen Künstler, Tätowierer und Tontechniker, dessen kreatives Schaffen tief im digitalen Untergrund der frühen 2010er Jahre verwurzelt ist. Der Name des Studios ist direkt vom Dark Web inspiriert, einer verborgenen Ecke des Internets, die OZ in einem entscheidenden Moment seiner künstlerischen und persönlichen Entwicklung faszinierte. Sein Eintauchen in die Subkulturen dieser Ära – befeuert durch seine Beobachtungen von Online-Schwarzmärkten, sich entwickelnden Drogengesetzen und digitaler Anonymität – prägte die Identität und Mission des Studios, die Schnittstelle von Kunst, Technologie und Rebellion zu erforschen.
Anfang der 2010er Jahre wurde OZ erwachsen, als Forschungschemikalien die USA überschwemmten – eine Zeit, in der neuartige psychoaktive Substanzen über private Händler auf Darknet-Marktplätzen wie Silk Road weithin erhältlich waren. Der Federal Analogue Act von 1986, der Substanzen mit chemischer Ähnlichkeit zu kontrollierten Drogen kriminalisieren sollte, stand vor neuen Herausforderungen, da diese Märkte Gesetzeslücken ausnutzten. 2012 erweiterte der Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act, eine Ergänzung des Controlled Substances Act, die Befugnisse der DEA, synthetische Drogen, darunter viele Forschungschemikalien, ins Visier zu nehmen. Diese Gesetzesänderung verschärfte die Regulierung und trieb Händler tiefer in die verschlüsselten Netzwerke des Darknets, wie beispielsweise die .onion-Seiten von Tor. OZ, der diese Welt als neugieriger Beobachter durchlebte, war beeindruckt von der Doppelnatur des Darknets – sowohl ein Hort für illegalen Handel als auch ein Symbol digitaler Freiheit.
Die Idee für Dark Web Studios entstand, als OZ eine Spinne skizzierte – ein Motiv, das die komplexe, schattenhafte Architektur des Netzes widerspiegelte. Die Spinne wurde zur Metapher für seine Faszination für die Komplexität und Anziehungskraft des Dark Web. Als Tätowierer schuf OZ Designs, die diese Ästhetik widerspiegelten und Härte mit symbolischer Bildsprache verbanden. Seine Arbeit als Künstler und Toningenieur, die immersive Klanglandschaften schuf, spiegelte dieselbe subversive Energie wider, die er in seiner Jugend erlebte. Die Kultur der Anonymität, des Risikos und der Innovation des Dark Web wurde zur Linse, durch die OZ seine Kunst kanalisierte und Dark Web Studios gründete.
OZs Erfahrungen der frühen 2010er Jahre, vom Aufstieg und Fall der Silk Road (2011–2013) bis hin zur sich entwickelnden Rechtslandschaft, prägten seine Weltanschauung. Das Dark Web mit seinen Marktplätzen und Foren stellte eine Grenzregion dar, in der Grenzen ausgelotet wurden – ein Ethos, das OZ in den Arbeiten seines Studios widerspiegelte. Dark Web Studios ist ein Beleg für seine Fähigkeit, persönliche Beobachtungen, künstlerisches Können und Kulturkritik zu einer einzigartigen Vision zu verbinden und den chaotischen Geist eines digitalen Zeitalters einzufangen, das von Spinnen, Schatten und Rebellion geprägt ist.
die Verbindung
Muncy begann mit 13 Jahren zu rappen. 2009 gründete er Magic Music und knüpfte Kontakte zu Tyro, Auzzie, Smaulz und OZ. 2014 schlossen sich Muncy und OZ zusammen und gründeten Metroit, eine Rap-Koalition. Muncy lernte Joey Keys 2015 bei einem Pontiac-Konzert kennen und baute das Kollektiv mit OZ weiter aus. Metroit umfasste über 20 MCs. Sie prägten die lokale Szene und veröffentlichten Mixtapes auf Datpiff und Soundcloud, um sich einen digitalen Namen zu sichern. 2016/17 unterbrachen rechtliche Probleme, Suchtprobleme und persönliche Probleme ihre Zusammenarbeit.
Ende 2022 brachte Muncy Metroit für eine Show in seiner Heimatstadt, die „The Commere Show“, wieder zusammen. Trotz der jahrelangen Trennung war die Crew füreinander da. Anfang 2022 gründete Oz 1Hunnit die Dark Web Studios. Im August 2023 gründete Muncy die „Cypher Society“, die Künstler aus aller Welt zusammenbringt, um gemeinsam Lyrik zu verbreiten.