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Q&A: Machine Gun Kelly

A&E spoke with rap’s young gunner, MGK, before his arrival in Minnesota for his “Lace up Tour.”
Machine Gun Kelly is as brazen as his namesake.
Image by The Chamber Group
Machine Gun Kelly is as brazen as his namesake.

What: Machine Gun Kelly

When: 8 p.m., Friday

Where: Myth, 3090 Southlawn Drive, St. Paul

Cost: $27-42

 

When rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s “Chip off the Block” video went viral, the skies seemed to part for the Clevelander. Ensuing mix tapes bolstered his cred, culminating in the release of 2012’s “Lace up.”

The 22-year-old is currently signed to Bad Boy Records with accolades pouring in. Phrases like “hot new MC” and “up-and-comer to watch” are all appropriate for Machine Gun Kelly, a guy who bucks the industry and embraces the rock star elements of celebrity.

A&E spoke with him about his offstage antics and the problems with having a popular song.

 

What’s on your mind?

I want to ejaculate on a pair of toes.

Think you got a shot?

I definitely got a good shot.

How do you manage to not give a [expletive] in this industry you’re in?

I’m not in the industry; I’m on tour with the kids every [expletive] day with the most awesome fans in the world.

You don’t even think of it as the industry?

When was the last time you saw MGK, [expletive], you know, when can you ever say you saw MGK in the industry in an honest sense? Machine Gun Kelly to the industry is a myth. Leave your Catalina wine mixers for yourself.

What are your thoughts on George Barnes, the original MGK?

I think I do it better.

Did you ever repay Diddy for his Ciroc? [Regarding an incident where he trashed the Bad Boy CEO’s crib.]

Repay him? Hell no. That mother-[expletive] owes me. I’m playing. He doesn’t need any of my money. I need like a sixteenth of his money.

You know, I’ve been hearing molly [MDMA] come up a lot in rap and hip-hop lately; you have any thoughts on that?

Booooo. Booo. When 15-year-old girls think a drug is cool, that is when I stop doing that drug. That’s a whack phase.

Any new ink you’re thinking of getting? Seems like every time I see a picture of you, there’s something new.

I want to tattoo a giant microphone on my ass cheek so everyone can just talk into my ass and feel like they’re being heard.

You traveled a lot as a kid. What about Cleveland is special to you?

Blue collar city, got to work for what you want type [expletive]. Love that Midwest [expletive]. Love it.

What’s your ongoing interest in fashion or style?

As far as now, my fashion sense, or lack thereof. … We pretty much all wake up and wear the same jeans and T-shirt every [expletive] day. If you look cool in that outfit, then I guess you could call it fashion. My jeans are pretty dirty. Everybody in the band is pretty dirty.

How do you sustain the level of energy and intensity that you do?

Well, I’m kind of depleted now. I don’t really want to go out now because all people want to see me do is be the wild boy, and that’s so [expletive] stereotypical, and it just makes it corny. I don’t even enjoy drinking in public anymore. People are like, “Chug!” I don’t want to put that image out that that’s what I want to be [expletive] known for. I don’t want to be obligated to do that. I’m sure I’ll be back on my [expletive] in a few weeks.

So you need to recharge your batteries like anybody else?

No. Not at all, not at all. I don’t need to recharge my batteries like anybody else — I’m definitely superhuman. I just don’t enjoy feeling like I have to put on a show for anybody. I don’t like it when a young kid comes up to me wasted thinking that I’m thinking that’s going to be cool. Like when girls think they have to be drunk as [expletive] to talk to me, it’s like, “Whoa, chill.” I would rather you been sober and had a real conversation with me rather than you acting like a dumb [expletive].

I don’t want to say regret, but there are aspects of that song, “Wild Boy,” which clearly irk you now.

Yes, but I have to say it’s a great song and something that’s still indicative and relative to who I am as a person and my life period. I won’t take that away from that song.

But I think that it created a stigma that stuck. It would be cool if I was a wild boy and this inspirational figure that I try to be. A lot of people stop at the wild boy when they don’t see the other side. Helping kids that are down and out — I think that should be appreciated.

Anything else for me?

Lace up.

 

 

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