Following a public spat with Slipknot, Machine Gun Kelly was greeted with boos during his set at the metal-leaning Louder Than Life festival in Kentucky over the weekend.
For context, over the past week, Machine Gun Kelly and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor have been engaged in a warring of words. The public beef was sparked after a Machine Gun Kelly’s performance at Riot Fest in Chicago, where he launched into a tirade against Slipknot, who were playing a competing set on a neighboring stage.
“Hey, you want to know what I’m really happy that I’m not doing? Being 50 years old wearing a fucking weird mask on a fucking stage, talking shit,” Machine Gun Kelly said during his set.
The comments were likely sparked by a snide remark Corey Taylor made in his interview with Cutter’s Rockcast back in February. During the interview, Taylor lamented the state of rock music, seemingly taking a stab at MGK’s genre-hopping.
“I hate all new rock for the most part. Well, the ‘artists’ who failed in one genre and decided to go rock — I think he knows who he is. But that’s another story.”
It was later unearthed that the tension between the two artists stems from a failed collaboration for MGK’s 2020 album, Tickets to My Downfall.
“Corey did a verse for a song on Tickets To My Downfall album, it was fucking terrible, so I didn’t use it,” MGK wrote on Twitter. “He got mad about it, and talked shit to a magazine about the same album he was almost on. Y’alls stories are all off. Just admit he’s bitter.”
Love Live Music?
Get the latest Live Music news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Corey Taylor rebutted MGK’s claims that he delivered a “terrible verse” with screenshots from email correspondence discussing the collaboration with Tickets for My Downfall producer Travis Barker.
“I don’t like people airing private shit like a child. So this is all I’ll say: I didn’t do the track because I don’t like when people try to ‘write’ for me. I said no to them,” he wrote. “So without further ado…. #receipts. This is all I’m going to say about it.”
In the email exchange, Barker passed along notes from Machine Gun Kelly praising Taylor’s contribution, whilst offering suggestions on how he thought Taylor should deliver the song.
Taylor admitted that following MGK’s feedback, he felt like he was not “the right guy for the track,” he said.
“Nothing personal, I just think if this is what MGK is looking for, someone else is the guy to do it. It’s all good and I’m stoked for him — I hope you guys find the right fit for it. Hope you understand and I wish you guys the best with it. If I can help in any way, let me know.”
So this brings us to Machine Gun Kelly’s fateful set at Louder Than Life. A performance that saw the musician greeted with a symphony of boos from diehard Knot fans at the close of almost every song.
Tensions rose and the performance culimated in a verbal altercation between MGK and a punter, in which he threatened the audience member with… a light saber.
“I see you dude, I see you mad as fuck in your weird fucking outfit. I’m here for the same shit you’re here for, so it’s all good. Clearly, I’m not going nowhere, so just enjoy.” he said. “You keep fuckin’ with me, homie? Trained Jedi, bitch!”
THATS MY NEPHEW YOU ARE YELLING AT. watch your tone @machinegunkelly & that “weird outfit” he is wearing IS FUCKING @slipknot pic.twitter.com/dr5bh8B73u
— daylee 🦇 (@daylisbell) September 26, 2021
There was a brief physical altercation when MGK and fans came face-to-face in the photo pit, with the singer throwing a punch at someone before security ushered him away. You can find footage of the performance below.
