Machine Gun Kelly
I don't believe in hopping from one social issue to the next to be a part of the movement for a moment. Anything I'm involved in is something that I would die for. I can't support things that don't feel genuine.
My executive board, my management, my friends, are so ethnically diverse.
I think I've watched and been around so many people that are of a high celebrity grade that I've attempted to soak in every kind of way to deal with fame.
I knew so many people were coming up to me because they knew who I was, not because they were fans of my music. That bothered me because I don't want to be a celebrity; I want to be an artist.
I feel like a celebrity is someone who sits and takes pictures with people 'cause they love themselves and how they look and how people look at them. But I just want to be regular and respected for my artistry because music doesn't necessarily have a face.
I've never been a bandwagon Clevelander. I've been talking about Cleveland and holding up Cleveland since before we were champions.
There's something about America's sweetheart and America's bad boy. That juxtaposition is what everyone desires.
Every time I perform, I always try to have that 'wow' factor.
The thing I stress to my fans is that I've been making big, universally friendly-type music for a long time now. I never really made underground music.
I think that me as a person, and as a personality, even my name alone, 'Machine Gun Kelly' - it is very loud, and it says a lot.
I don't want to feel like the cool kid in the crowd who doesn't want to do what the artist's saying. I want to be so in awe of the artist that I'm literally jumping up and down, even if I've got on brand new Louboutins.
I love looking at pictures of me in 2012-2017, because every single one of those Machine Gun Kellys looks different.
I don't think that my music without pain is good music - and I wouldn't know, because I haven't made any music without pain.
With anything that happens in Cleveland, I always get involved.
I was never supposed to get a record deal - that's one in a million.
I just keep getting inspired to believe that dreams come true and anything can happen, 'cause I've watched so many impossible things happen.
Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.
I was picked on a lot as a kid because of the way I dressed. Metal and punk music got me through that. I know a lot of people don't understand it, but I love metal.
When the universe throws something your way, or things happen, I'm one of those people that goes with it, and I don't fight it.
I've had more life experiences than most people that are older than me.
My time on 'Roadies' gave me serenity and space.
My memory stops at 14.
New life situations equal out to new kinds of songs.
They always say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, but I say that about Cleveland.
I have so many accomplishments under my belt.
I sell out shows. My performance is top-tier.
I'm a kid from Ohio in an industry that drives people insane.
The normal MGK reaction that everyone expects is for me to be angry and go off, because my history shows that's the type of attitude I'm bringing to the table.
I'm not one of those acts where it's, like, this mainstream person, where the average white kid at Harvard University is like, 'It's educational tonight. Let's all go out there and spend Dad's money.'
I've graced almost every stage in N.Y., from Webster Hall to Gramercy Theater to Best Buy.
Puff is more of a mentor rather than someone who's directly involved in my movement or helping me put my album together. It's not like me and him party together. He's definitely more of, like, a mentor.
It seems like I'm one of those people that has the personality where, if I win an award, I wake up the next day, and I'm like 'Oh, but I didn't win this award though, or this didn't happen.'
When I came into the industry, and as I continue to be in it, part of my authenticity is the fact that I speak my mind.
I'm from Cleveland. I don't have any famous parents. I don't have any media training, I don't have a history in the industry to where I would have any preconceived notions of how I'm supposed to be.
Doing 'Roadies' was a big release for me. I play this character named Wes who's the most pure, innocent form of who I was when I was eighteen searching for something.
As I was coming up, there was so much naysaying, there was so much doubt, whether it was from my peers or people in the industry.
I was really excited about 'Nerve' with Dave Franco and Emma Roberts.
I'm very personal with my music, and it takes a piece of your heart away every time you record that in the studio. So you only have so many pieces of your heart to give away.
I think the artist community is very tight-knit.
'Cleveland' went viral, but it didn't necessarily pop. I didn't have that support. I didn't have a deal when I made 'Cleveland' or anything like that.
I recognize fans at every show.
Honestly, I look in the mirror, and I'm not the greatest looking kid.
There's blackballing involved with Machine Gun Kelly, a lot of confusion about who I am as an artist. But that's so small in the wake of someone like Nelson Mandela.
I don't want my daughter to grow up and feel like she has to try that hard to get people to accept her.
I'm trying to be the Dr. Dre of Cleveland.
I've become so much more comfortable divulging things I've never talked about before, honing in on certain relationships that everyone can relate to.
It's crazy. Even doing that one episode of 'Catfish,' I get people recognizing me for it who didn't even know my music.
I've never been comfortable with sharing anything: I was a single child.
To be considered for the hottest breakthrough MC of 2011, it's obviously an honor, but I want to be the hottest.