Career Timeline of Machine Gun Kelly (musician): Major Achievements and Milestones
How Machine Gun Kelly (musician) built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Colson Baker (Machine Gun Kelly, MGK) is a multifaceted American artist. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, music producer, and actor. MGK initially gained recognition in the late 2000s and early 2010s with his mixtapes, leading to a recording contract. His musical style has evolved, incorporating elements of rock and pop-punk alongside his established rap sound. Beyond music, Baker has also pursued an acting career, appearing in various films and television series, further broadening his presence in the entertainment industry.
March 2009: Victories at the Apollo Theater
In March 2009, MGK traveled to Harlem's Apollo Theater and achieved consecutive victories, becoming the first rapper to win at the Apollo Theater.
February 2010: Release of Second Mixtape
In February 2010, MGK released his second mixtape titled '100 Words and Running', where he derived his catchphrase, "Lace Up".
May 2010: National Debut with "Alice in Wonderland"
In May 2010, MGK made his national debut with the single "Alice in Wonderland", released on iTunes with a music video. The single earned him the "Best Midwest Artist" award at the 2010 Underground Music Awards, and the music video won Best Music Video at the 2010 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards.
November 2010: Release of Lace Up Mixtape
In November 2010, MGK released his second mixtape, Lace Up, featuring the hometown anthem "Cleveland".
March 2011: Signing with Bad Boy Records
In March 2011, after his first SXSW show in Austin, Texas, MGK was offered a recording contract with Bad Boy Records by Sean Combs.
December 14, 2011: Hottest Breakthrough MC
On December 14, 2011, MGK was named the Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2011 by MTV.
December 16, 2011: "Invincible" Release
On December 16, 2011, MGK's song "Invincible" featuring Ester Dean was released on iTunes as the second single of the album.
March 18, 2012: MTV Woodie Award
On March 18, 2012, MGK won the MTVu Breaking Woodie award.
August 13, 2012: Release of EST 4 Life Mixtape
On August 13, 2012, MGK self-released a mixtape titled EST 4 Life, containing old and recently recorded material.
October 9, 2012: Intended release of Lace Up
MGK announced that his debut album Lace Up would have an intended release on October 9, 2012.
February 18, 2013: Black Flag Mixtape Announcement
On February 18, 2013, MGK announced the name and cover of his new mixtape, Black Flag, and released a music video for "Champions" as promotion.
January 5, 2015: Release of "Till I Die"
On January 5, 2015, MGK released the song "Till I Die", accompanied by a music video on his VEVO account.
May 18, 2015: "A Little More" Music Video Release
On May 18, 2015, MGK released the music video for "A Little More", featuring vocals from Victoria Monet.
June 5, 2015: "Till I Die" Remix Release
On June 5, 2015, the remix of MGK's "Till I Die" with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, French Montana, Yo Gotti, and Ray Cash was released.
September 2015: Album Sales Update
As of September 2015, MGK's album Lace Up had sold 263,000 copies.
September 2015: General Admission Album Title Release
On June 25, MGK released the title of his second album as General Admission, due to be released in late September 2015.
2016: Release of "Bad Things"
In late 2016, MGK released "Bad Things", a joint single with Camila Cabello, which has reached a peak of number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.
September 3, 2018: Release of "Rap Devil"
On September 3, 2018, MGK released the diss track "Rap Devil" in response to Eminem's "Not Alike." The track accuses Eminem of trying to sideline Baker's career.
September 10, 2018: "Rap Devil" Tops iTunes Chart
On September 10, 2018, MGK's "Rap Devil" topped the iTunes Chart.
September 21, 2018: Release of Binge EP
On September 21, 2018, MGK released his second extended play (EP), Binge, which debuted at 24 on the Billboard 200.
May 17, 2019: "Hollywood Whore" Release
On May 17, 2019, MGK released "Hollywood Whore", the first single from Hotel Diablo.
May 31, 2019: "El Diablo" Release
On May 31, 2019, MGK released "El Diablo", the second single from Hotel Diablo.
June 7, 2019: "I Think I'm Okay" Release
On June 7, 2019, MGK released "I Think I'm Okay" with Yungblud and Travis Barker, the third single from Hotel Diablo.
July 5, 2019: Hotel Diablo Album Release
On July 5, 2019, MGK released his album Hotel Diablo.
July 9, 2019: "Candy" Music Video and "Glass House" Release
On July 9, 2019, MGK released the official music video for "Candy" featuring Trippie Redd and released the final single, "Glass House" featuring Naomi Wild on the same day.
December 18, 2019: "Why Are You Here" Release
On December 18, 2019, MGK released the single "Why Are You Here", a pop punk song.
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