Machine Gun Kelly Needs to Keep His Ego in Check

Most people know Machine Gun Kelly as a young American rapper – one who recently (after an ongoing feud with acclaimed rapper Eminem) picked up a guitar and began trying his hand at pop punk music. An artist trying out and experimenting with new styles – sounds all cool and dandy, right?

That is, until his ego got the best him, and he started telling rock and punk artists how to do their craft…one that he is still a total newbie at. If you had just baked a cake from scratch for the first time, would you suddenly be telling every veteran baker you know how to work an oven?

Back in September, MGK released his very first pop punk album Tickets to My Downfall. It received many mixed reactions due to its nostalgic yet lackluster sound. Many people loved it because it sounds very similar to old Blink 182 (It’s even produced by Travis Barker himself and features him on drums) – but that’s really the only thing it has going for it. If something is loved solely because it’s identical to something already done, does it really deserve that much praise?

Sure, pop punk may not be the most complex genre in the world…but Tickets to My Downfall is basically the skeleton of an early Blink 182 album with a slightly different skin thrown on (that skin being MGK’s bland vocal tone and emotionless delivery). Now that the new album has topped the Billboard 200 chart, MGK has developed some kind of “rock savior” superiority complex. His pretension is already riling up prominent bands in pop punk, hardcore and metal such as Joel Birch from The Amity Affliction, Craig Reynolds from Stray From the Path, and John Floreani from Trophy Eyes. Not a great start to his reputation in the rock scene.

In his interview with Spotify this past week, he let his pride go off completely unhinged in a rant about…shoes. Yes, you read that right.

“I did Warped Tour, and these motherfuckers would wear comfortable shoes onstage every day. Put on some Doc Martens you fuck. It’s not about you. It’s about the show. You don’t look cool, man. I fucking hate your feet, I hate your shoes. You’re comfortable. Rock and roll’s not comfortable. It’s uncomfortable. It’s a metaphor. Your shoes are a metaphor.”

Yeah, Colson, they know rock isn’t about being comfortable. That’s why they travel from city to city in small vans, often struggling to pay for food and hotels, relying on their merch sales to feed them dinner, all while praying that their vans don’t break down or get broken into. While you’re traveling with your own tour bus and have a management team to take care of the rest for you. Check your privilege you got from your pre-rocker days. Rock isn’t about shoes either. You know what else rock isn’t about?

Based on his attitude, it seems he believes rock is more about the image than the music. And if you’ve seen him attempt a guitar solo live, it makes sense that he would be promoting this mindset. Sure, his bends are out of tune…but at least he looks good, right?

Sadly, it doesn’t end there. He goes on to suggest that there should be a “punk rock Bohemian Rhapsody.” You know that band called Green Day? The one that formed before you were even born? Check out their song “Jesus of Suburbia.” If you really haven’t heard the iconic punk rock concept album that was (and still is) hailed for its political charge and groundbreaking story, I have no idea what you’re doing trying to tell people how to do rock music.

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with switching genres or making a throwback record. But it certainly doesn’t make you an expert. Not even the most pioneering rock artists of today have a head half as big as this guy’s. He could learn a thing or two from the bands he’s been putting down all because of their choice of footwear.