Culture Cypher Radio December Chart: A doubleshot wrapup of 2020 with Arrested Development, Jyoti, Pink Siifu, and more

When Culture Cypher Radio first premiered in September of 2019, it was hard to contain. I’ve listened to XPN since I was in high school and the thought of having my own show, with my own voice broadcasting over those same airwaves was mind-blowing and humbling. On the night of the first show, I came out with a broad mix of music; Slick Rick, A Tribe Called Quest, Frank Zappa, and Bruce Warren hung out in the studio while I played and helped me with the technical stuff. As we played songs, I’d pop out of the studio and listen in the hallway, to get a feel for what the music sounded like on the air.

In the wake of COVID-19, everything went on lockdown and after a short break, Culture Cypher Radio returned, this time recorded and produced remotely from my home. Although there is nothing like playing music live over the airwaves, producing the show at home felt familiar because when a kid, I’d spend hours making my own faux-radio shows with music, beats and wacky little skits. Through all of the challenges we’ve faced this year, the music that we’ve loved and lived with has continued to signal the promise of a new and better world. From the transcendent protest anthems of SAULT, the ecstatic joy of Quelle Chris and Chris Keys’ Innocent Country 2, Jay Electronica’s twin spiritual opuses A Written Testimony and Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn) to Che Noir’s hard-won faith and introspection, 2020 has been jam-packed with beautiful, intriguing music and Culture Cypher Radio has tried to act as a vehicle to deliver it all to anyone who wants or needs it.

For this, the final episode of 2020, we have new releases from Moor Mother & Billy Woods’ latest collaborative album, Brass, some fresh sounds from Drew Dave & D.C. Cortez, as well as some highlights from 2020. This year has been a lot, (to say the least!), but we’re still here, we’re still fighting, loving, living and thriving. See you next year!

1. SAULT feat. Michael Kiwanuka – “Bow” 

2. Sleep Sinatra feat. Anwar Highsign – “Fear x Loathing”

3. Black Thought – “The Magnificent”

4. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys – “Living Happy”

5. AMANI & King Vision ultra feat. AKAI SOLO – “Concrete Slides”

6. Lil Dave – “Eye For an I”

7. Jay Electronica – “Fruits of the Spirit”

8. Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin – “Richard Pryor”

9. Apollo Brown & Che Noir – “94’”

10. Jyoti – “Zane, the Scribe”

Full Playlist

Andres – “Soul Brother Never Be Another”
Wilma Archer feat. MF DOOM – “Last Sniff”
Sault – “Hard Life”
Sault – “Wildfires”
KinKai – “Better Today”
Jay Electronica – “Fruits of the Spirit”
Quelle Chris & Chris Keys – “Graphic Bleed Outs”
Quelle Chris & Chris Keys – “Living Happy”
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin – “Richard Pryor”
Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin – “Mind Right”
Martha High & The Italian Royal Family – “Nothing’s Going Wrong”
MH The Verb – “Easybay Flow”
Anwar Highsign – “Whole Lotta Trouble”
grooveman spot – “No. 5”
Keleketla! – “Future Toyi Toyi”
Apollo Brown & Che Noir feat. Black Thought – “Hustle Don’t Give”
Apollo Brown & Che Noir – “’94”
Botany – “The Way”
Botany – “That’s The One (Too Bad)”
Blu & Exile – “Music Is My Everything”
Blu & Exile – “Requiem of Blue”
Lupe Fiasco & Kaelin Ellis – “LF95”
Makaya McCraven – “Everybody Cool”
Jacob Collier feat. Mahallia, Ty Dolla $ign – “All I Need”
Sault feat. Michael Kiwanuka – “Bow”
AMANI & King Vision Ultra – “Scrapes”
AMANI & King Vision Ultra feat. AKAI SOLO – “Concrete Slides”
jah monte – “In West Hollywood”
Marlowe – “Small Business”
Marlowe – “Paydirt”
Jyoti (Georgia Anne Muldrow) – “Zane, The Scribe”
Jyoti (Georgia Anne Muldrow) – “Skippin & Trippin”
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT – “Amazing”
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT – “Becoming”
John Morrison – “It Happens Outside Your Window”
John Morrison – “Slayer Fest ’98”
Black Thought – “State Prisoner”
Black Thought – “The Magnificent”
Quakers feat. Jeremiah Jae – “This Station”
Kaelin Ellis – “Clarity”
Kaelin Ellis – “Moons”
Sons of the James (Rob Milton & DJ Harrison) – “I Want More”
Sons of the James (Rob Milton & DJ Harrison) – “Thank You Master”
Budamunk – “Mergers & Acquisitions”
Sleep Sinatra feat. Anwar Highsign – “Fear x Loathing”
Sleep Sinatra – “Blood In My Eye”
Lil Dave – “Eye For An I”
The Heliocentrics – “Venom”
Michael Olatuja feat. Laura Mvula – “Brighter Day”