Rap music is a genre indigenous to the African American community, but sometimes someone from a different race comes along and proves that it’s an art that goes beyond race. Eminem did it and now Machine Gun Kelly does it too. The Cleveland rapper’s growing popularity and career proves that rapping can be a legitimate tool of self-expression for all races.
the biography
Richard Colson Baker, who goes by the name Machine Gun Kelly, was born on the 22nd day of April 1990, North Dakota, in Houston, Texas.
In a political structure that makes overcoming a difficult childhood an exclusive story for black artists, it is also a story shared by Machine Gun Kelly. Despite an early childhood that consisted of moving to different countries around the world, it turned into a sour one, starting with his mother abandoning him and his father. The pain of losing his wife pushed his father into depression and eventually unemployment. It was a fall from grace for the musician. Having been unable to make many friends due to his developmental years of moving from place to place, the young artist became the unfortunate victim of bullying when he and his father moved to Denver, Colorado. This led him to find solace in rap music,
He pursued his interest in the genre and became a rapper. He has released three studio albums and a few mixtapes. He is also an actor, having appeared in several films including Never, Bird Bxd and Viral. He has several nominations and awards to his name, including a Billboard Music Award nomination and an MTV Europe Music Award win.
Career
Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) and his father returned to Cleveland after a brief stint in Kuwait. In Cleveland, MGK attended Shaker Heights High School. He got his stage name, Machine Gun Kelly from his fans due to his quick delivery. In 2006, he released his first mixtape, Seal of Approval.
MGK’s first mixtape was his introduction to rap passion and luckily for him, his first impression was a success. His mixtape found a positive reception among listeners, particularly in the Cleveland rap scene and soon after he was receiving invitations to speak to excited fans at local concerts.
He made music in his home studio which he called ‘Rage Cage’ and his exposure increased when he was featured on MTV2’s Sucker Free Freestyle, freestyling several verses from his single ‘Chip off the Block’. In February 2010, Baker released his second mixtape 100 Words and Running, where he got his catchphrase “Lace Up”. Even though his popularity was on the rise, it didn’t translate to commercial success for him and he still had to work at Chipotle to pay rent after his father kicked him out after he graduated from high school.
In 2011 Machine Gun Kelly performed at their first SXSW show in Austin, Texas and signed a record deal with Bad Boys Records after being approached by Sean Combs. Her debut EP, Half Naked and Almost Famous debuted at age 46 on the Billboard 200 in 2012.
He followed the EP with his debut album , Lacer in 2012, debuting at number 4 on the US Billboard 200.
Machine Gun Kelly’s career has continued in steady but slow growth since his arrival on the rap scene. In 2018, he released his third studio album, Bloom which debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 and received favorable reviews from critics.
He cites DMX and Eminem as his influences as well as rock bands Blink-182 and Guns N’ Roses. Outside of music, the rapper dabbled in acting, making his film debut in Beyond the Lights in 2014 and has since starred in several movies and TV shows.
Net value
Machine Gun Kelly might still have some of the heights to reach in his career, but with three hit albums so far in his career and a couple of hit singles, the rapper is doing a lot of things right and that’s reflected in his worth. current net worth of $8 million. Far from the man who worked at Chipotle to make rent.
Machine Gun Kelly: Wife, Baby Mama
Almost like a rite of passage for rappers, Machine Gun Kelly, like many rappers before him, has a baby mama. Sadly, not much is known about Machine Gun Kelly’s baby mama other than the fact that her name is Emma Cannon, but he hasn’t been shy about declaring his love for the daughter they have together. , Casie, born in 2008.
Although the rapper has dated a few women since becoming popular, including Amber Rose, he is considered single and unmarried at the moment.