Introducing the King of RNBay

Photographer: Owen Duckett

Grooming: Armando “Kole” Koleshnick

Stylist: Apuje Kalu

Videographer: Bubba

Video Editor: Dante Williams

Growing up in Oakland, California, Adrian Marcel honed his craft at the Oakland School of the Arts, which boasts alumni like Zendaya, Kehlani, and the late Angus Cloud. His summer sessions at the Young Musicians Program at UC Berkeley further shaped him into the artist he is today. Yet, it was the mentorship of legendary Oakland native Raphael Saadiq that truly put Adrian Marcel on the map. Saadiq not only championed Adrian Marcel but also connected him with icons like Babyface and Stevie Wonder, elevating his musical journey.

Now, as we enter Fall 2024, Adrian Marcel is a family man, celebrating seven years of marriage and the joys of fatherhood with three kids. He’s just dropped his latest project, RNBay Season, a six-track EP that’s been years in the making. But the path hasn’t always been clear; there were moments when he questioned the direction of his music.

“I went through a complete reset during that time [during COVID]. I kinda lost that real energy. I feel like I was just making music; I wasn’t making music with a purpose. And I think that’s extremely important—an artist should really have a purpose for why they’re doing what they’re doing,” Marcel explains.

His resurgence began with an unplanned studio session alongside producer Sonny B. “When I hooked up with Sonny B, our conversations were about purpose. We were talking candidly with each other. I think his perspective of me was, ‘Ok, from the music I’ve heard before, what I’ve been able to find of you is not the person I’m getting right now. This person is more unapologetic, a lot more raw.’”

Sonny B, also a Bay Area native, urged Marcel to craft music that reflects his true self and captures the essence of their region. “How does the Bay do R&B? When you think about Chicago, NY, LA, or Atlanta—all of these places have their own distinct way of how they do R&B. For us, who can we think of in our generation that has stamped the Bay’s R&B sound—for the males at least?” he clarifies.

The answer could well be found in his first single, “BIP City,” featuring E-40. It’s an eclectic blend of Hyphy Bass music intertwined with traditional R&B melodies. The title itself is a testament to local culture. “What is something that is Bay Area ASF? What is the stamp from ‘You’re not from The Bay Area unless this?’ I was like, man, if you haven’t gotten bipped for…you’re not from here. It’s a rite of passage,” he laughs. For those unfamiliar, “bipping” refers to the often-humorous experience of having your car broken into—typically leaving only a shattered window behind. Marcel takes this common experience and weaves it into clever and poetic storytelling.

“For us, knowing how derogatory that is and how that makes people feel—are we talking about bipping cars? How does that go with R&B? Back in the day, I knew folks were worried about bringing the girl around because the folks in Oakland and Frisco might steal your girl,” says Marcel. “We realized we are talking about bipping your girl and being extremely player. Player is not about cheating or having a bunch of women—it’s an aura. At that moment, we knew this is RNBay.”

With over 100 songs recorded for this project, Marcel approached the release with care. “Giving so much music at one time…it’s a lot. There’s a lot to take in. There’s so much that’s missed. If you don’t have the budget to continuously keep it in peoples’ faces, you get burned out. You do 40 records, and they’ve heard two of them. We wanted to take people on the same journey that we went with while recording.”

Marcel has also embraced acting, having played James DeBarge in The Bobby DeBarge Story, and he’s eager to explore this avenue further. “With acting, it doesn’t matter how small the role is or what the budget of the movie is—it’s really just the feeling of being able to jump into it and get my chops up. To be honest, it’s probably my first passion. I feel like I’m possibly 1,000 characters.”

As he reflects on a decade since his debut, Marcel has his sights set on the future of the genre he’s helping to define. “I don’t see myself as one of those artists that is still trying to make a hit album 10 years from now. If that happens, that happens. Honestly, I see myself opening the door for artists like myself who have passion, vision, and talent. I want to expand this RNBay genre—it’s bigger than me. When Sonny B and I created this, we knew it wasn’t about an Adrian Marcel comeback. It had to be deeper than that, strong enough of a foundation to be timeless.”

With that kind of passion and vision, Adrian Marcel is undeniably on the right path.