Machine Gun Kelly is an American rapper. He achieved incredible growth due to his unique style and musical ability. Best known for his fast-paced lyrical message. It was he who apparently also gave him the stage name "Machine Gun Kelly".
MGK started rapping while still in high school. The young man quickly gained the attention of the local population by releasing several mixtapes. His breakthrough came with the 2006 Stamp of Approval mixtape. The success of his first mixtape gave MGK the impetus to launch a career in music. He went on to release four more mixtapes over a period of time.
In 2011, his career took off when he signed with Bad Boy and Interscope Records. The following year, his debut album, Lace-Up, was released to critical acclaim. Debuting at number four on the US Billboard 200, the album had hit singles such as "Wild Boy", "Invincible", "Stereo" and "Hold On (Shut Up)".
He then released his second studio album, General Admission. The album was released in October 2015 and debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums.
Childhood and youth
Richard Colson Baker, better known by his nickname "Machine Gun Kelly" (MGK), was born on April 22, 1990 in Houston, USA. His family traveled all over the world. Kelly spent his early childhood in places like Egypt, Germany and throughout the United States.
Tragedy struck him early when his mother left home. His father suffered from depression and unemployment. Richard was ridiculed by his friends and neighbors. To find solace, he began to listen to rap, and then completely devoted his life to this.
He attended Hamilton High School. Then at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver. In high school, he experimented with drugs. Simultaneously during this time, he recorded his first amateur demo tape, Stamp of Approval.
Richard Coulson Baker later enrolled at Shaker Heights High School. It was here that his musical career began. He convinced the owner of a local T-shirt shop to become his MC manager. It was during this time that Baker was given the stage name Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). Fans nicknamed the artist because of his quick speech. A name that stayed with him for the rest of his life.
Career
In 2006, Machine Gun Kelly released the Stamp of Approval mixtape. The response was overwhelming as it established MGK's reputation as a performer and a true artist. He began performing at local venues in Cleveland.
His early breakthrough came with a 2009 win at the Apollo Theatre. The first victory in the history of the rapper. It then gained national attention when it was featured on MTV2's Sucker Free Freestyle. There he wrote many of the lyrics for his single "Chip off the Block".
In February 2010, he released his second mixtape 100 Words and Running. The rapper voiced his line "Lace-Up" for the first time. Simultaneously, MGK worked for Chipotle to maintain financial stability.
In May 2010, MGK made their national debut with the single "Alice in Wonderland". The song was released through Block Starz Music on iTunes. It received a wide positive response. He was also nominated for "Best Midwest Artist" at the 2010 Underground Music Awards.
In November 2010, MGK released his second mixtape titled "Lace-Up". It played the anthem of the hometown of Cleveland. After that, he appeared on Juicy J's "Inhale", which also featured Steve-O from the television series Jackass in the music video.
In March 2011, MGK took part in the first SXSW show in Austin, Texas. He then signed a recording deal with Bad Boy Records and released the music video "Wild Boy" featuring Waka Flocka Flame.
The duo appeared on BET's 106 & Park to promote the single. Later, in mid-2011, MGK signed an agreement with Young and Reckless Clothing. He then released his first EP "Half-Naked & Famous" on March 20, 2012. The EP debuted at number 46 on the Billboard 200.
Debut album by Machine Gun Kelly
In October 2012, MGK's debut album "Lace-Up" was released. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200. Its lead single "Wild Boy" peaked at number 100 on the US Billboard Hot 98.
It was soon certified gold by the RIAA. The song "Invincible" served as the album's second single. Interestingly, "Invincible" was the official theme for WrestleMania XXVIII and is currently the theme for Thursday Night Football on the NFL Network.
Shortly before the release of his debut album, MGK released a mixtape titled "EST 4 Life" which contained both old and newly recorded material.
In February 2013, MGK released a music video for "Champions" featuring Diddy and samples of "Diplomats" - "We are the Champions". The music video served as a promotional video for his new mixtape "Black Flag", which was eventually released on June 26, 2013. It featured French Montana, Kellyn Quinn, Dub-O, Sean McGee and Tezo.
On January 5, 2015, MGK released the song "Till I Die" which was accompanied by a music video on his VEVO account. A little later, he came up with his own remixed version and soon followed it up with his next song, a music video called "A Little More".
In July 2015, MGK released a 10-track mixtape titled "Fuck It". It contained songs that did not make it onto the final tracklist of his pending second album, General Admission.
Artist's second album
MGK's second studio album "General Admission" was released on October 16, 2015. It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 selling 49 copies in its first week.
The album also debuted at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In the second half of 2016, MGK released the single "Bad Things". It was a collaboration single with Camila Cabello and peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100.
In 2017, MGK released their third full length album Bloom. In addition to "Bad Things", the work has included collaborations with Hailee Steinfeld ("At My Best"), Cavo and T Dolla $ign ("Trap Paris"), James Arthur ("Go for Broke") and DubXX (" Moonwalkers"). Bloom debuted on the top ten of the Billboard 200, peaking at number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Following the success of Bloom's gold-certified third album, MGK received an unexpected boost in 2018 from an unexpected source. As the tabloid headlines made headlines, the latter song reached the top ten of the US R&B/hip hop chart, climbing to number 13 on the Hot 100.
MGK released an EP - Binge - which marked a return to form with focused flow and clever wordplay. Binge debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200 and charted in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Months later, in May 2019, he released the single "Hollywood Whore", the first single from his fourth album, Hotel Diablo. In July of that year, additional singles "El Diablo" and "I Think I'm Fine" appeared in the introspective set, as well as features from Lil Skies, Trippie Redd, Yungblud and Travis Barker.
Machine Gun Kelly in cinema
Besides music, MGK has appeared in various films such as "Beyond the light" as Kid Kulprit. He then starred in "Roadies" as Wesley (aka Wes) and later landed starring roles in "Viral", "Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2" and "Nerve".
Main works and awards
Kelly's biggest achievement early in his career was his debut album, Lace-Up, which was released in October 2012. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200. Its lead single "Wild Boy" peaked at number 100 on the US Billboard Hot 98. The album was soon certified gold by the RIAA.
MGK's second studio album, General Admission, was released in October 2015. It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums.
MGK's single "Alice in Wonderland" won Best Midwest Act at the 2010 Underground Music Awards. It also received the award for Best Music Video at the 2010 Ohio Hip Hop Awards.
In December 2011, MTV announced MGK as the "Hottest MC Breakout of 2011". In March 2012, MGK received the MTVu Breaking Woodie award.
Personal life and legacy
MGK has a daughter named Casey. Although he no longer interacts with her mother, he maintains a friendly relationship with her. In early 2015, he confirmed reports of dating hip-hop model Amber Rose. However, the two separated in October 2015.
MGK's introduction to drugs started early. He has been open about his addiction and has stated that he went through a period of homelessness in 2010 to feed his addiction. To overcome his drug obsession, MGK visited a rehab facility where he was assisted by a drug addiction counselor.
Once he even thought about suicide. After a brief relapse in 2012, MGK has since dealt with his addiction and is no longer in it.
In January 2022, Machine Gun Kelly proposed to charming Megan Fox. The actress responded to the man in return. Soon the couple will play a wedding.
Machine Gun Kelly today
At the end of May 2021, the American rapper presented a video for the song Love Race (featuring K. Quinn and T Barker). Musical experts have already made some conclusions. Many came to the conclusion that the video is sure to impress representatives of the emo youth subculture.
Machine Gun Kelly and Willow Smith pleased with the release of the "juicy" clip. In early February 2022, the stars released the video work Emo Girl. The video begins with a cameo by Travis Barker. He acts as a museum tour guide for a small group of visitors. The track Emo Girl, like the previous single Papercuts, will be included in the new Machine Gun Kelly album. The release is scheduled for this summer.
