Machine Gun Kelly (musician)

MGK
MGK in 2023
Born	Richard Colson Baker (1990-04-22) April 22, 1990 (age 34) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Other names	Machine Gun Kelly
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter actor guitarist
Years active	2006–present[1]
Works	Discography filmography
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop pop rap rap rock pop-punk alternative rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	EST 19XX Bad Boy Interscope
Website	machinegunkelly.com
Musical artist

Richard Colson Baker (born April 22, 1990), known professionally as Colson Baker, formerly MGK (stylized in all lowercase) and Machine Gun Kelly, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor.

MGK released four mixtapes between 2007 and 2010 before signing with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records, an imprint of Interscope Records the following year. His debut studio album, Lace Up (2012) peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and was led by the single "Wild Boy" (featuring Waka Flocka Flame), which marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second and third albums, General Admission (2015) and Bloom (2017) were both met with critical praise and similar commercial success; the latter was supported by the single "Bad Things" (with Camila Cabello), which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. His fourth album, Hotel Diablo (2019) further experimented with rap rock.

MGK's fifth album, Tickets to My Downfall (2020) saw a complete departure from hip-hop in favor of a pop-punk sound and aesthetic, with its production entirely helmed by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. It debuted atop the Billboard 200—becoming the only rock album to do so that year—and was supported by the single "My Ex's Best Friend" (featuring blackbear), which peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Its sequel, Mainstream Sellout (2022) served as his sixth album and matched its commercial success, although critical reception was mixed.

MGK had his first starring role in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights (2014), and since appeared in the techno-thriller Nerve (2016), the horror Bird Box (2018), the comedy Big Time Adolescence and portrayed Tommy Lee in the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt (both 2019).