Devon Culture Joins ‘A Different World’ Reboot With Original Song ‘A Time More Perfect’

By Tracey Khan

Devon Culture just became part of television history. The Philadelphia-born R&B artist opens the first episode of Netflix’s “A Different World” reboot performing his original song “A Time More Perfect”, a moment Debbie Allen herself hand-picked him for.

For Culture, it’s more than a screen credit. It’s the culmination of years spent quietly building an audience on his own terms, through viral mashups, inventive vocal arrangements and reimagined takes on beloved R&B records.

“It’s been amazing, honestly,” Culture said. “Just one little moment like that can create so much more for you.”

The opportunity started with a single introduction. Music executive Big Tank connected Culture’s work with the show’s production team, and Allen watched several of his videos before deciding she wanted him involved.

Culture said he didn’t even get the news directly, he found out his casting was locked in through Alijah Kai, a friend of his who plays Rashida on the series.

“She was like, ‘No, I see your name on the wall right now,'” Culture recalled.

Meeting Allen on set turned into its own kind of highlight reel moment. Culture grew up watching her work, and seeing her operate in real time, he said, was unforgettable.

“She’s so matter of fact. She’s so on point,” he said. “And she’s just also sweet.”

The performance also gives audiences their first real taste of “A Time More Perfect,“ a song built on Culture’s preference for poetry over anything too on-the-nose.

Written with producer and co-writer Jaylien Wesley, the track leans into vulnerability and romance through careful, deliberate language and Culture’s signature falsetto.

His Netflix moment may be new, but the audience isn’t. Culture has spent years racking up millions of views with his mashups and covers, catching the attention and public support of artists including Janet Jackson, India Arie and Tyrese Gibson.

Moving from covers to original material meant holding onto the familiarity that drew listeners in while still sounding unmistakably like himself.

“I make music that feels like things that we remember, but also I make it my own,” he said.

That idea runs straight through his upcoming album, “Forbidden Fruit,” a cinematic project Culture describes as inspired by Adam and Eve and the weight of choice. The record blends R&B with jazz, opera and rap-singing, built with the kind of scope that could just as easily score a film or a video game. 

“A Time More Perfect” will appear on the project, carrying the momentum from his “A Different World” debut into the next chapter. For Culture, the significance runs deeper than screen time.

“This is a reboot of something that we all love as a culture,” he said. “The fact that I’m able to be a part of just the first episode … I was a part of this next generation’s history.”

With acting now on his radar too, Culture sees this as just the opening scene. He’s hoping for more film and TV opportunities ahead, all while continuing to grow his sound.