Bay Area/ East Oakland’s own Adrian Marcel is solidifying himself as an R&B chameleon whose smooth & sultry sonics pair seamlessly with his boldness and emotional bravery. With an across-the-board artistic upbringing and versatile Bay Area cultivation, Marcel’s organically resonant work provides palatability & relatability, allowing fans to feel seen & heard regardless of where they’re from or who they are. His work largely pertains to the importance and power of passion & love in a way only a true “BAY Boy” can deliver.
Under the tutelage and direction of his mentor, Grammy-winning R&B singer Raphael Saadiq, Marcel developed a following thanks to a steady string of projects in the mid-2010s, which featured musical assists from major acts like Destiny’s Child alumna Kelly Rowland and rappers Wale and Too $hort. His debut mixtape, 2013’s 7 Days Of WEAK, was released under Universal Republic Records and featured production by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and more. The seven-song effort introduced fans to the open, emotionally-driven lyricist that Marcel continues to be. Shortly after, he notched his first double platinum-selling single, “2 AM,” a trap-influenced rhythmic banger with accompaniment by rapper Sage The Gemini. 2 AM landed at number #2 on the Billboard charts and has over 93 million views. on YouTube. Adrian found himself again on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs chart for 10 weeks in 2015, thanks to his rap-sung single “Take Your Time.”
He took his creativity & career into his own hands with his sophomore album, 2019’s 98th. The first project was released under his own independent label, Third Voice Music Group. Adrian has also taken up acting and starred in the TV One biopic, "The Bobby Debarge Story."
Marcel’s new forthcoming music shows a new side to the artist, whose personal & professional self-awareness further expanded as a result of the pandemic. Marcel is confident, free, and raw. For his latest offering to music and culture, the “unapologetically BAY” artist Marcel teamed up with fellow Bay Area Songwriter/Producer “Sonny B.” of the Reggae-Island group” CRSB” to create a new genre called R&Bay. A blend of Hyphy & R&B.
Together, Adrian & Sonny have written, produced, and arranged over 200+ new records over the past 2 years, that showcase this new R&BAY sound effortlessly. Spearheading with their first release in 2023, a track co-written with songwriter Ryn Nicole, entitled “Bip City,” featuring a fellow Bay Area native and mogul, E-40. The melody-driven chorus works in tandem with truly expressive Bay lyricism & energetic production. The Production Duo released Adrian’s EP entitled “R&BAY SZN 1” in July of 2024 with features from E40, DJ Drama, Jane Handcock, and CRSB. Marcel's most recent releases, “Slide”, “Just Like You” & “SWOOP” debut his upcoming sequel to the RnBay Series with “RNBaY Szn II”. Marcel continues to push the genre and brand that is RnBay past the limits of just the Bay Area, but worldwide!
You may also like the following events from Yoshi's Oakland:
- Happening on, 2nd January, 08:00 pm, Pacific Mambo Orchestra in Oakland
- Happening on, 4th January, 07:00 pm, Day26 in Oakland
- Happening on, 5th January, 08:00 pm, Tony Lindsay, Eddie M & The Huney Knuckles in Oakland
Also check out other
Arts events in Oakland,
Theatre events in Oakland,
Performances in Oakland.
