January Featured Artist of the Month - Radcity: Where Sound, Story, and Social Impact Collide

Kami Redd
Jan 25
3 min read

Updated: Apr 21

From Humble Harmonies to Executive Vision

Racquel Lee—better known as Radcity—isn’t just a name on a production credit. She’s a multi-hyphenate powerhouse: music producer, singer, rapper, songwriter, actor, and founder of CBMBG Entertainment. A proud queer woman of color from Philadelphia, now based between Atlanta and Washington, D.C., Radcity has spent over seven years building a platform where marginalized voices are centered, creativity is uncensored, and purpose drives every beat.

Her creative journey began at age five, humming TV jingles and singing in church. Encouraged by her mother, Radcity got her first Casio keyboard and started programming beats—laying the foundation for what would become a genre-bending signature sound.

The Making of a Musical Architect

Radcity is a self-taught producer whose style she describes as Futuristic R&B or Space R&B/Soul. Heavily influenced by her childhood fascination with outer space, her sound is driven by synths, ambient textures, and syncopated drums that balance the ethereal with the rhythmic. She doesn’t just make beats—she builds sonic environments.

Working with Logic, FL Studio, and Ableton, Radcity’s approach is fluid but intentional. Her Akai MPK midi keyboard is her companion across cities, collaborations, and late-night sessions. Music isn’t just a profession—it’s a spiritual alignment. Prayer and meditation guide her creative process, and emotional storytelling shapes her compositions.

She doesn’t chase trends—she redefines them.

Storytelling Through Sound and Synesthesia

Radcity doesn’t just hear music—she sees it. Her process is so visual that she often imagines full music videos as she builds out a beat, from the lighting to the locations. “Each track is like a child,” she says. “I nurture it until it’s ready to be released into the world.”

This intuitive method allows her to create for the right artist, not just the market. Vulnerability is the throughline—she gives it, expects it, and encourages artists to bring their most honest selves to the work.

Collaboration as a Compass

Collaboration has been central to Radcity’s rise. Whether she’s working with rappers, singer-songwriters, or other producers, she sees co-creation as an opportunity to elevate the emotional impact of her production. “Sometimes, the stories artists bring unlock something new in the beat,” she explains. “That exchange is powerful.”

She also embraces the business of collaboration. From sync licensing to custom compositions for film and TV, Radcity works with briefs and reference tracks to deliver polished, personalized soundscapes. Her credits include work for brands like NFL legend Randy Moss’s Crisppi’s Chicken and projects that span multiple states.

Merging Art with Advocacy

Radcity’s artistry is inseparable from her activism. As a Black, queer, and neurodivergent creator, she uses her platform to uplift underrepresented communities. Her recent work as executive producer of the documentary soundtrack All the Broken Pieces—a film by trans activist Marissa Miller—underscores her commitment to health equity and social justice.

She sees music, film, and media as tools to amplify voices, shift narratives, and build community. “My mission is to ‘Create Beautiful Minds as a Believable Genius,’” she says. “That means making space for stories that matter—and doing it with excellence.”

Beyond the Studio: Acting, Film, and Vlogs

Radcity’s creativity doesn’t end at the mixing board. She’s now stepping into film—both in front of and behind the camera. Her acting debut in an upcoming independent project is set to complement her work as a soundtrack producer, blending performance with composition in a full-circle moment.

She’s also launching a vlog series that will chronicle her evolution as a musician, actor, and screenwriter. Designed for aspiring creators, the series will offer transparency, encouragement, and insight into navigating creative industries without compromising identity.

Celebrating the Win: A Charting Producer

Among her most meaningful achievements is her work on Khalil’s album Disaster, which she produced, wrote, and engineered. Two singles—“EVOL” and “Outta Bounds”—charted in the Australian iTunes R&B/Soul Top 100. For Radcity, the recognition is less about numbers and more about validation. “It felt like a prayer my younger self made,” she says. “Now I can officially say I’m a charting producer.”

Rooted in Community, Building a Legacy

Radcity’s long-term goals are bold but clear: she wants to produce indie music and film projects that spotlight Black creatives and independent voices. Inspired by her time in nonprofit musical theatre as a teen, she dreams of establishing platforms that provide similar creative opportunities for others.

She’s also aiming for sync placements in video games and animated series—expanding her reach into the spaces where art meets everyday experience.