Colson Baker (born April 22, 1990), known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is noted for his genre duality across alternative rock with hip hop.
Machine Gun Kelly released four mixtapes between 2007 and 2010 before signing with Sean Combs' record label, Bad Boy Records. He released his debut studio album, Lace Up, in 2012, which peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and contained his breakout single "Wild Boy" (featuring Waka Flocka Flame). His second and third albums, General Admission (2015) and Bloom (2017), achieved similar commercial success; the latter included the single "Bad Things" (with Camila Cabello), which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. His fourth album, Hotel Diablo (2019), included rap rock.
Machine Gun Kelly released his fifth album, Tickets to My Downfall, in 2020; it marked a complete departure from hip-hop and entry into pop-punk. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, the only rock album to do so that year, and contained the single "My Ex's Best Friend" (featuring blackbear), which reached number 20 on the Hot 100. Its follow-up, Mainstream Sellout (2022) also peaked the Billboard 200 and achieved similar commercial success.
Machine Gun Kelly 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 biopic The Dirt (both 2019).
