MBNel lays it all out on his new video single “Toxic featuring Haben” out now via The Muddy Boyz/Empire. Flexing his pipes and his pen, “Toxic” appears to be a summer-tinged track laced with a familiar-sounding west coast bounce. However, underneath all that sunshine reveals an underlying darker theme. Equally adept at serving snapping rhymes as heartfelt melodies, NorCal native MBNel is a man of many talents. Swapping between first-person and third-person narration, Nel reflects on the demise of a relationship and ultimately concludes that he was in the wrong the whole time, admitting he’s running from his past and has emotional baggage. The visual directed by Mike Wild$, paints a vivid portrait of the relationship described in the song–Nel acts as the omniscient narrator as a troubled couple work through their union’s dissolution. Floating in on a sea breeze, Haben sings from the woman’s perspective as she attempts to escape.
“I’m not afraid to delve deeper than what’s on the surface,” explains MBNel. “I make music like a journal.”
“Toxic” is on track to appear on Started In The South, the Stockton, CA native’s next EP. Arriving during a period of sustained growth from Nel, the new EP finds him reflecting on his success and paying homage to the streets that raised him. Spanning 4 songs and featuring an appearance from Bleu, Started In The South is coming soon.
Check out the “Toxic” music video from MBNel and Haben below: