the origin story
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 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, and 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 was founded and operated by Ian Totton, known as OZ 1Hunnit, a multifaceted artist, tattooist, and audio engineer whose creative output is deeply rooted in the digital underground of the early 2010s. The studio’s name draws direct inspiration from the dark web, a hidden corner of the internet that fascinated OZ during a pivotal moment in his artistic and personal evolution. His immersion in the era’s subcultures—fueled by his observations of online black markets, evolving drug laws, and digital anonymity—shaped the studio’s identity and mission to explore the intersection of art, technology, and rebellion.
In the early 2010s, OZ came of age during a surge of research chemicals flooding the United States, a period when novel psychoactive substances were widely available through private vendors on dark web marketplaces like Silk Road. The Federal Analogue Act of 1986, designed to criminalize substances chemically similar to controlled drugs, faced new challenges as these markets exploited legal loopholes. In 2012, the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act, an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act, expanded the DEA’s authority to target synthetic drugs, including many research chemicals. This legislative shift tightened regulations and drove vendors deeper into the dark web’s encrypted networks, such as Tor’s .onion sites. OZ, navigating this world as a curious observer, was struck by the dark web’s dual nature—both a haven for illicit trade and a symbol of digital freedom.
The idea for Dark Web Studios crystallized while OZ was sketching a spider, a motif that resonated with the web’s intricate, shadowy architecture. The spider became a metaphor for his fascination with the dark web’s complexity and allure. As a tattoo artist, OZ inked designs that echoed this aesthetic, blending grit with symbolic imagery. His work as an artist and as an audio engineer, crafting immersive soundscapes, reflected the same subversive energy he encountered throughout his youth. The dark web’s culture of anonymity, risk, and innovation became a lens through which OZ channeled his art, making Dark Web Studios.
OZ’s experiences in the early 2010s, from witnessing Silk Road’s rise and fall (2011–2013) to the evolving legal landscape, informed his worldview. The dark web, with its marketplaces and forums, represented a frontier where boundaries were tested—an ethos OZ mirrored in his studio’s output. Dark Web Studios stands as a testament to his ability to weave personal observation, artistic skill, and cultural critique into a singular vision, capturing the chaotic spirit of a digital era defined by spiders, shadows, and rebellion.
the connection
Muncy started rapping at age 13. In 2009, he formed Magic Music, eventually connecting with Tyro, Auzzie, Smaulz, and OZ. In 2014, Muncy and OZ merged their camps to form Metroit, a rap coalition. Muncy met Joey Keys at a 2015 Pontiac show, continuing to build the collective with OZ and expanding Metroit to 20+ MCs. They made their mark in the local scene, all while dropping mixtapes on Datpiff and Soundcloud to secure a digital footprint. By 2016-2017, legal turmoil, addictions, and personal struggles paused their collaborative pursuits.
In late 2022, Muncy reunited Metroit for a show in his hometown, The Commere Show, despite years apart, the crew showed up for each other. In early 2022, Oz 1Hunnit founded Dark Web Studios. In August 2023, Muncy founded The Cypher Society, linking artists from all over the map to drive lyricism.