MGK

MGK is the performing name of Colson Baker, an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor born in 1990. He is also known as Machine Gun Kelly, and his work moves between hip hop, pop rap, pop punk and rap rock. He is from Houston, United States, though he is associated with Ohio in his early career and public profile.

Career beginnings

MGK releases four mixtapes between 2007 and 2010 before signing with Bad Boy Records. His early releases include Stamp of Approval, Homecoming, 100 Words and Running and Lace Up!, followed by later mixtapes and EPs such as Rage Pack, Half Naked & Almost Famous, EST 4 Life, Lace Up (The Prelude), Black Flag, Fuck It, BINGE and lockdown sessions.

Studio albums

His debut studio album, Lace Up, appears in 2012 and reaches number four on the US Billboard 200. It includes his breakout single “Wild Boy” featuring Waka Flocka Flame. He follows it with General Admission in 2015 and bloom in 2017, both of which also perform strongly commercially. bloom includes “Bad Things” with Camila Cabello, which reaches number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Hotel Diablo appears in 2019 and includes rap rock elements. In 2020 he releases Tickets To My Downfall, which marks a full move away from hip hop into pop punk. The album debuts at number one on the Billboard 200 and includes “my ex's best friend” with blackbear, which reaches number 20 on the Hot 100. He later releases mainstream sellout in 2022, and the studio album list also includes lost americana.

Other work

As an actor, MGK’s film credits include Beyond the Lights in 2014, Nerve in 2016, Bird Box in 2018, Big Time Adolescence in 2019 and The Dirt, where he plays Tommy Lee. He is noted for his genre-crossing approach across alternative rock and hip hop, and his releases also include deluxe editions and later collaborations such as genre : sadboy with Trippie Redd and blog era boyz with Wiz Khalifa.