Tickets To My Downfall is Machine Gun Kelly’s (MGK) fifth LP, released in the last quarter of 2020. His first four albums fall under the hip-hop category. However, now he switches lanes and aims to conquer the Pop-Punk genre. Does he prevail? Let’s talk about it.
Richard Colson Baker had quite a childhood. Due to his parents, he was constantly moving to different states in the USA to overseas. This led to him always being the new kid on the block, which put a target on his back. Ultimately, he found his go-to place: Hip-Hop.
During the late 2000s and beginning 2010s, he released a range of mixtapes, including “Lace Up.” Followed with positive reviews, this caught the eyes of hip-hop mogul Diddy Combs, owner of Bad Boy Records. In 2011, MGK officially signed to the record company.
In a 2014 interview, he detailed why signing to Diddy was the best choice. Record deals can be deceiving and deadly, but luckily for him, he remains in creative control over his music. The following years saw the releases of Hip-Hop projects “General Admission” (2015), “Bloom” (2017), and “Hotel Diablo” (2019).
A defining point of “Hotel Diablo” was the well-received rock track “I think I’m Okay” featuring Blink 182’s drummer Travis Barker. Consequently, additional studio sessions crafted “Tickets To My Downfall.”
The “title track” sets the mood for what’s about to come, and the follow-up song “kiss kiss” only confirms it. The visuals for “forget me too” and “my ex’s best friend” set a Pop-Punk atmosphere. Overall, the LP is a foolproof mixture of rebellion, love, and melancholic yet uplifting tune. As one of the producers, Travis definitely seals his imprint.
Upon first listening to the album, I got the feeling that I had already heard it before but couldn’t pinpoint a name. Undoubtedly, the last cut minimizes the sample to Paramore.
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that MGK is not the first rapper to switch genres. In 2010, Lil Wayne released a rock album titled “Rebirth.” Hence, that is the beauty of artistry. As time progresses, artists get inspired by one another creating a snowball effect.
In conclusion, it is safe to say that MGK wets his feet in the Pop-Punk world and prevails with a solid body of work, including a full-length musical movie called “Downfalls High.“
Lastly, he not only proves to be versatile in the music industry but also as an actor. His latest role in the action movie “Project Power” was well received. So far, the future seems bright for MGK.
Watch “Bloody Valentine” and listen to “Tickets To My Downfall Sold Out Deluxe” in the link below.
