Machine Gun Kelly

One of the more underappreciated rappers in Hip Hop, Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly or MGK returns with his 4th album “Hotel Diablo.” With the use of a heated battle with Eminem and a couple of Netflix films (‘Bird Box’, ‘The Dirt’) MGK has dropped one of his most complete projects to date, putting the icing on the cake to 12 months of hard work. The 29-year-old known for his blending of Hip Hop & Rock, returns for his first album since his 2017 release “Bloom,” which saw his highest-charted song to date “Bad things” featuring Camila Cabello which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in February 2017.

First breaking on to the scene in 2010 with his single ‘Alice in Wonderland’, MGK has had an interesting life and career full of ups and downs, which has turned Kelly into the person he is today. Being born to missionary parents, Machine Gun Kelly born Richard Colson Baker has spent time all over the world throughout his life before attending Shaker Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio. Given the name ‘Machine Gun Kelly” due to his incredibly fast flow, Kelly has been working extremely hard since the mid-2000s, becoming the first rapper to win at Apollo night in 2010 winning back to back, Kelly also found himself featured on MTV2’s Sucker Free Freestyle. Although underrated in the industry, Kelly impressed during his show at SXSW in 2011 and was signed by super music executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Bad Boy Records in a partnership with Interscope in 2011. Featuring his smash hit “Wild Boy” with Waka Flocka Flame, Machine Gun Kelly released his debut album “Lace Up” in the fall of 2012, closing the year off by being selected for the 2012 XXL freshman list. “Lace Up” eventually went Gold.

MGK has always been known for his gritty and wild personality. Having dealt with issues his whole life, several label issues since his first album release, and fatherhood, MGK has finally risen like a Phoenix from the ashes, mature and ready to take on the world all over again and share his story.

The album features 3 distinct types of songs, although most of MGK’s music blends Rock and Hip-Hop and containing 14 tracks for 37 minutes. Going through the project, it opens with “Sex Drive” dreamy deep synths bang as you are invited to “Come and find yourself.” Track 2, the first song is “el Diablo” (produced by Nils & Ronny J) a complete banger that’s almost a victory lap, highlighting his loyalty, patience, and strength in the rap game. Track 3 “Hollywood Whore” (produced by BazeXX, Rami Beats & SlimXX), deep as ever Kelly doesn’t just give us a lens into his life, he explains some of the biggest struggles he’s had since coming up in the game. Being the first single off “Hotel Diablo,” and the first MGK release following his duel with Rap God Eminem, many thought it was another response, while others believe in may be targeted at the man who discovered him and signed him. Delayed in respect to Nipsey Hussle, MGK’s “Hollywood Whore” details some of the worst betrayals that Kelly has had to deal with over his career. Detailing his experience with deceit, false promises, and greed, the song many believe to be about Bad Boy Emperor Sean “Diddy” Combs, “Hollywood Whore” boasts all of Machine Gun Kelly’s best qualities. Track 4 “Glass House” featuring Naomi Wild (produced by Alex Lustig, Wynne & SlimXX) Kelly uses this song to mourn many friends and delve into his issues with his mental health and issues with drugs. Track 5 “Burning Memories” featuring Lil Skies (produced by Alex Lustig, BazeXX, SlimXX & JP Did This 1) where MGK details some of the issues he’s had with his family. Next “A Message From the Count” featuring MGK’s close friend Pete Davidson impersonates Count Dracula in a funny skit to bring in the second half of the project. Track 7 “Floor 13” (produced by Big Duke, BazeXX, SlimXX & JP Did This 1) is a hard track that highlights the dangerous side of Kelly with lines like “I chop my coke on Hotel Keys/ I chopped his face like Constantine.” Track 8 “Roulette” (produced by Cook Classics & Jake Troth) which Kelly says himself is “Rider Music” is another song where Kelly details the dangerous life he lives, “With 11 of my closest, on a mission to get rich like Danny Ocean.” Next is the “Truck Norris Interlude” where a few people are laughing about an inside joke while a hard beat plays in the background. Track 10 “Death in My Pocket” featuring Naomi Wild (produced by Baze XX, WYNNE & SlimXX), Kelly details the struggles of his life when he first started rapping as a way to remind his audience that he had not forgotten where he came from. Track 11 “Candy” featuring fellow Ohio rapper Trippie Redd (produced by TBHits & Anton Gorannson) where the two detail the many issues being famous specifically the access and abuse to drugs. Track 12 “Waste Love” featuring Madison Love (produced by Cook Classics) where Kelly longs for a lost love. Track 13 “5:3666” featuring phem (produced by Alex Lustig & SlimXX) another song where Kelly talks about his issues with Drug abuse and his career, depicting cocaine as a woman that keeps him up at night. The 14th and final track “I Think I’m Okay” (with YUNGBLUD & Travis Barker) (produced by BazeXX, SlimXX, Zakk Cervini, WYNNE, Nick Long & Machine Gun Kelly) closing out the album with an alternative rock song, MGK shows us his honest, his struggles and his pain asking in return for only open ears.

Final Review

Hotel Diablo is a very solid album with a good balance of sounds as well as skits that prove that Machine Gun Kelly is continuing to improve and mature in music. Standing at 14 songs 38 minutes, Hotel Diablo is a concise project where Kelly hits all the bases and never misses a step. Whether it will perform as well as his other projects have yet to be seen, but it’s clear MGK had something to get off his chest.

Go out and listen to MGK’s “Hotel Diablo” wherever you listen to your music. Also, don’t forget to check out OLDMLK’s Instagram page (@OLDMLK) and Twitter (@OLDMLKDOTCOM) for updates on OLDMLK.COM: The Most Essential Hip Hop Blog, The OLDMLK.Com Playlist, The OLDMLK Radar. Remember, when it comes to Hip-Hop if you don’t know it, OLDMLK does!