Machine Gun Kelly has hinted that he could return to rap on his next album after a successful pivot to becoming a pop-punk star.
2020’s ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ album gave Machine Gun Kelly (real name Colson Baker) his first US Number One album and his first within the pop-punk genre after appearing to ditch his rap career. It was followed up by new album ‘Mainstream Sellout’, out last month (March 25).
In a new interview about his future on the Audacy Check In, Kelly said: “I’m going to make a rap album for myself. For no other reason, no point to prove, no chip on my shoulder. If I keep doing things to prove things to people, I’m going to one, drive myself crazy and two, not make a good product.”
“I made ‘Tickets’ and ‘Mainstream Sellout’ because I wanted to make them,” he added. “I need to now also make people miss that sound. I’m going to do this tour and I’m gonna step into where I left ‘Hotel Diablo’ and expand on my storytelling as a rapper and find a new innovative sound for the hip-hop Machine Gun Kelly. That’s where my excitement is and where me as a music archaeologist wants to explore.”
In another recent interview, Machine Gun Kelly spoke about his success as a pop punk artist, explaining that he’s “earned that shit”.
He’s long been criticised for his pivot from rap to rock, and speaking about the backlash in a new interview with Billboard, Baker explained: “I know it kills certain bands in that community that I got the success that I got. But I earned that shit.”
“Dude, I was fucking loading up the van with our drums and amps in 2010, driving to Indiana and Chicago, playing Warped Tour. I can tell you the fucking Wi-Fi codes to venues in Blackfoot, Idaho. Can you say that shit as a band,” he added.
Reviewing ‘Mainstream Sellout’, NME wrote: “In less than two years, Machine Gun Kelly has gone from underrated rapper to the sort of bonafide rock star who headlines festivals alongside the likes of Metallica, Green Day and Dua Lipa. Later this year, he’ll be supported by Avril Lavigne and Blink-182’s Travis Barker on a 41-date US arena tour. New album ‘Mainstream Sellout’ is no complacent victory lap, though.”
Elsewhere, the musician recently released the first trailer for Good Mourning, his directorial debut as a filmmaker.
First announced last August, it was confirmed this month that Good Mourning – a stoner comedy that Baker co-wrote, directed and stars in alongside fellow musician Mod Sun, fiancée Megan Fox and close friend Pete Davidson – will arrive on May 20. It’ll land simultaneously in cinemas and on demand, though it’s not clear as of yet which platform will host the film’s digital release.
The artist will head out on a lengthy arena tour behind ‘Mainstream Sellout’ later this year – get tickets here and see the dates and support acts below.
North America:
JUNE 2022
8 – Austin, TX – Moody Center***^
10 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center***^
11 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center***^
14 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena***^
15 – Miami, FL – FTX Arena***^
17 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena*^
18 – Birmingham, AL – The Legacy Arena At BJCC*^
19 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
21 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center*^
22 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena*^
24 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena*^
25 – Boston, MA – TD Garden+$
26 – Philadelphia, PA – Waterfront Music Pavilion+$
28 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden*^
JULY 2022
1 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest*
2 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center*^
3 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena*^
5 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater*^
6 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena*^
8 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center*^
9 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center*#
11 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center*#
13 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum*#
15 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena*#
16 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center*#
19 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena*#
21 – Portland, OR – Moda Center*#
22 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena*#
23 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena*#
25 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena*#
27 – Fargo, ND – FargoDome*#
28 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center*#
31 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival
AUGUST 2022
2 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena”#
4 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center”#
6 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre”#
7 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena”#
9 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena”#
10 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center”#
11 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center”#
13 – Cleveland, OH – FirstEnergy Stadium*”$#’
*With support from Avril Lavigne
***With support from Blackbear
^With support from iann dior
+With support from PVRIS
”With support from Travis Barker
$With support from Trippie Redd
#With support from WILLOW
’With support from 44phantom
UK/Europe:
SEPTEMBER 2022
17 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena’^
19 – Prague, CZ – Sportovní Hala V Holešovicích’^
21 – Brussels, BE – Palais 12’^
23 – Frankfurt, DE – Festhalle’^
25 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle’^
27 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum’^
28 – Zurich, CH –Hallenstadion’^
29 – Paris, FR – Zenith’^
OCTOBER 2022
1 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley’^
4 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena’^
6 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena’^
7 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro’^
9 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena’^
12 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live’^
^With support from iann dior
‘With support from 44phantom
The post Machine Gun Kelly hints at a return to rap on next album appeared first on NME.
