To be considered for the hottest breakthrough MC of 2011, it's obviously an honor, but I want to be the hottest.
— Machine Gun Kelly
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.
I don't want my daughter to grow up and feel like she has to try that hard to get people to accept her.
There really are a lot of stereotypes I fight.
'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'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.
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.
My view on music and the way that it's portrayed is that it's a religion.
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.
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 have so many accomplishments under my belt.
New life situations equal out to new kinds of songs.
My memory stops at 14.
A lot of time, my inspiration comes from pain: growing pains, hunger pains, or money pains.
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 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.
I don't think having a conservative mind in 2012 is a cool thing.
I've never been comfortable with sharing anything: I was a single child.
I'm trying to be the Dr. Dre of Cleveland.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't really care anymore what people think about me. I'm just gonna be me.
Honestly, I look in the mirror, and I'm not the greatest looking kid.
I think the artist community is very tight-knit.
I think, with music, I'm a lyricist who talks about real life things.
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.
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've graced almost every stage in N.Y., from Webster Hall to Gramercy Theater to Best Buy.
I'm a kid from Ohio in an industry that drives people insane.
They always say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, but I say that about Cleveland.
There is no VIP. We're all the same.
Everyone in our clique rocks a black bandana with the print 'EST 19XX' on them 24/7. As the underdog, you are expected to lose or give up and 'wave the white towel,' so that is why our flag is black. We never give up - never surrender. EST means 'Everyone Stands Together.' The '19XX' is to represent any age.
My time on 'Roadies' gave me serenity and space.
I actually have an Avenged Sevenfold tattoo on my body.
Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.
I just keep getting inspired to believe that dreams come true and anything can happen, 'cause I've watched so many impossible things happen.
It's crazy. Even doing that one episode of 'Catfish,' I get people recognizing me for it who didn't even know my music.
Imogen Poots loves music to death and can literally name 300 bands that she listens to, that you've never heard. She's so heavy into the underground music scene. When she's speaking on music, she means it.
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 recognize fans at every show.
I love surrealism.
I was really excited about 'Nerve' with Dave Franco and Emma Roberts.
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.
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.'
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 sell out shows. My performance is top-tier.
I don't feel fear anymore, in any form.
I'm known as a voice for a generation of people that don't have a voice.
As soon as 'General Admission' came out, there was a whole new pain that hit me that was rougher than I could imagine.
I've had more life experiences than most people that are older than me.
I listened to Korn and Limp Bizkit and that whole era of heavy music.
I'm an anarchist. I have it tattooed on my stomach.
