DEVON – THE KEY #CyphLyfeReview

There’s a slew of new voices coming out of the Dirty South in 2025. With an established Hip Hop Scene full of talented, active artists who perform at monthly Hip Hop Showcases around the Tri County area, South Florida has become a new source for Indie Hip Hop to the National and International audience. One of these newer faces in the scene is South Miami’s newest melody maker, DEVON. With his debut album THE KEY, he aims to unlock a fanbase that grew up on good Hip Hop and great music.

At 21 years old, you can hear the New Wave influences in DEVON’s beat selection, and delivery. He isn’t trying to display a bar heavy persona on THE KEY. It’s his natural musical and melodic sensibilities that he wants to be known for here, and we aint mad at it.  Especially during the Valentine season, this album hits. From the extremely catchy album opener, “FLOAT AWAY” produced by TUTUSONIDO and MONT3SI, official engineer for Jason Derulo. Upon running the track back for like the 5th time, I complimented DEVON on the writing and production on the bop and he shared the following with me.

“Everything on that tape is off the dome, strictly my harmonies. I try my best to perfect my craft. We had ran that song strictly on TUTU’s guitar before we even touched the studio program.”

After spending most of his teenage years freestyling raps and melodies, and being told by enough people that he needed to take his passion for music serious, DEVON finally got in the studio in 2022/23 by way of his blood cousin THE MIAMI HUSTLE, who manages DEVON and makes sure that his music reaches the right audiences. This eventually led him to the studio of TUTUSONIDO, by what DEVON describes as one of those “Butterfly Effect coincidences”.

“I know TUTU’s cousin for years, but never spoke with him. Got cool with his cousin. One day at 4 am his cousin told me pullup with him to his cousins house… bro TUTU (22) lives with his mom. Ever since Ive known him ( 2 years now) we have NEVER BEEN able to record late night because his studio is in his room and we can’t make all that noise after hours at his Mom’s crib. But for some odd reason, that day she didn’t care. So basically TUTU invited a random guy he never met into his household… and this was before i even dropped so he really had no idea if i was ass. Bro … I’m the type that I dont go to just any studio. Im a heavy believer in vibes, so before I walked into his house.. I almost turned back and said im going home, but then my boy told me just check it out. From there the rest is history.  I haven’t recorded with any one else since.

On “PHEEN”, DEVON skates between several intricatly layered melodic cadences over another TUTUSONIDO guitar centered banger to deliver a tale about a bad bitch who is just a little too obsessed with the party life. Then one of my favorite joints on THE KEY comes on, instantly grabbing my attention. “LOVE LETTER” is that kind of jam that a brother who grew up singing TKA & Stevie B Freestyle songs while listening to Power 96 while growing up will automatically gravitate to. DEVON delivers this vibe effortlessly. DON JU, an associate of TUTU’s comes in and lays a 2nd verse that compliments the bop excellently. “LOVE LETTER”, makes the way for “WASTE NO TIME” featuring TUTUSONIDO not only on production but on vocals also. This is personally my 2nd favorite track off of the ep.  If DEVON wouldnt have told me TUTU was 22 years old, recording this out of his room in his mom’s crib, I would think this was produced and recorded in a multi-platinum studio in Puerto Rico.  These 2 brothers just have a natural organic vibe and a tendancy for creating modern urban music that is undeniable. How they have managed to produce this kind of sound out of bedroom is beyond me, but the proof is in the 6 track pudding. Just listen to “I’M GONE”, another instant attention grabber that sounds like its ready to play on every FM station catring to urban Miami youth.  Another joint that was produced by TUTUSONIDO and mixed and mastered by MONT3SI, the only question I’m left with is why isn’t this playing on radio daily. When I asked DEVON if he is signed to a label, he made it clear he is happy for the time being an Indipendent Artist under his cousins MIAMI HUSTLE RECORDS.

“Its crazy, but even working with THE MIAMI HUSTLE seems like something that destiny orchastrated. Thats my blood cousin, but we had no idea what both of us had going on individually. Until we started building this brand up independently. It was only then that we realized me and him can do big things together. I feel as if i was put here to be a vessel of Gods voice, and He has been adding all the right pieces to make it happen professionally. My Producer and my Cousin play a big role in my music. Without their opinions my tracks wouldnt be what they are. That goes both ways with the production also. I started taking this seriously when I realized quite often the people I run into, no matter who it was, kept telling me I should be doing the music professionally and I have what it takes to take it to the next level. The reaction we get from every track we make lets us know we really got something here. Even now, I’m not going full throttle as much as I wish I could. I work Monday through Friday, go to school and run a side business. Once im in the position to be fully in the music is when the real goals will be achieved. I most definitely see the bigger picture and my people around me helped me realize it”

I am typically what is considered an “Old Head”, a Hip Hop truest who grew up on Boom Bap, Lyrical Miracle spitters over hard East Coast productions.  This is regurlarly not what I would be bumping on repeat. So when my Stepson came home from work, I understood when he asked what the hell are you listening to.  This is more of what we are used to hear playing from his room, not from my office. He asked, “is that some new Juice World?”.  I don’t follow the New Young Wave in hip hop too much, but even I know that is a compliment. To be compared to a young legend like Juice World (RIP) by a 21 year old college student who grew up as a huge Juice World fan is a nod of the highest regard. That’s all the cosign I needed to be sure I wasn’t tripping.  This is really good music, made to look effortless by a team of young creatives who have no business sounding this good. DEVON shared with me that THE KEY was all written and recorded a year ago, and what he and TUTUSONIDO have in the clip for his growing fanbase is going to make fans out of even Old Heads like me.

You can get your first taste of DEVON live tomorrow at #INDIEGROUND #ILoveHipHopEdition at Lincolns Beard Brewing as he makes his debut on a 4KPro/ WVCC Radio Stage. Make sure to be their early since he will be the opening act of the night, going on around 9:30.  Do not miss this set. You might just be witnessing the 1st performance of a Miami Star in the making.

Follow DEVON on IG @devonofficial

Tutusonido on IG @tutusonido

Spotify: DEVON

Founder of Vice City Cypher, WVCC Radio, PROFRESH Publicty. With over 20 Years in South Florida’s Hip Hop Scene 8ch2Owens has carved his name into the Miami Hip Hop history books, and now uses his talents to promote the best in South Florida Indie Hip Hop and Underground Hip Hop from around the globe.