Machine Gun Kelly was never your typical rapper. Colson Baker, who gained his stage name thanks to his rapid-fire flow and delivery, has always embraced the life of a rock star.
In 2018, Machine Gun Kelly, commonly referred to as MGK, got into a very public rap beef with Eminem, a legend of the industry. This helped bring MGK more into the spotlight than ever before, as his “Rap Devil” diss track against Eminem blew up and gave MGK the recognition he had been waiting for eight years.
In 2019, MGK portrayed Tommy Lee, the drummer of the band Mötley Crüe, in the biographical comedy-drama “The Dirt.” The film seemed to be a turning point in MGK’s career, as he released his biggest rap album “Hotel Diablo” shortly after the release of the film. Working on “The Dirt” inspired MGK to experiment with his sound and implement rock music into his newer music, and “Tickets To My Downfall” did just that.
“Tickets To My Downfall” is a pop-punk album, a completely different genre than any other project in MGK’s discography. The album has a lot of energy, great production, and MGK shows off impressive vocals that have not really been showcased this well from him in a long time.
Part of this album’s success can be directly tied to Travis Barker, the drummer for the rock band Blink-182, who played drums on the entire project and took MGK under his wing during his transition from rapper to a pop-punk artist. The legendary drummer made his presence known, showcasing his talent in songs such as “I Think I’m Okay” and “Bloody Valentine.” Other featured artists include Halsey, Trippie Redd, Blackbear, and Iann Dior, all of whom add a unique sound top their respective tracks, and really helping the album from seeming repetitive. Trippie Redd and Iann Dior, in particular, were two of the best tracks on the entire album, with both of their voices matching very well with both MGK’s vocals and the high-quality production.
None of the songs are too long, the songs have great hooks, the production is great, Travis Barker continues to be amazing, and quality artists were used as features. The use of the guitar and drums really made this project stand out as one of the musical highlights of 2020, with the album even opening up as the number one album on the Billboard 200 chart, which is also MGK’s first time doing so.
In many ways, this album proved that MGK is more than just a rapper. “Tickets To My Downfall” was done excellently and celebrates MGK’s love of the pop-punk genre without sounding like a cheap imitation. Machine Gun Kelly has the versatility, talent, and the right people around him to become a successful pop-punk artist for years to come.