Los Angeles, California – Rapper Machine Gun Kelly has decided to bid farewell to his stage name and rebrand himself as mgk. After more than a decade in the music industry, the artist formerly known as Colson Baker made the change official on various digital platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and YouTube by updating his artist profiles to reflect his new moniker.
The decision to drop the name “Machine Gun Kelly” came after a comedy duo, Chad and JT, launched a petition to urge the musician to remove “machine gun” from his alias, citing concerns about glorifying weapons. In a YouTube video from September 2022, the duo made their plea public at one of MGK’s concerts, holding a sign calling for the name change and asking the audience for their opinion on the matter.
While initial fan footage showed MGK seemingly dismissing the request, he appeared to have a change of heart in November during the GQ Men of the Year event in 2023, where he was accompanied by his fiancée, Megan Fox. At the event, MGK announced that he would now go by a new name, indicating a shift away from his former moniker.
The rapper, who shares his stage name with the infamous Prohibition era gangster George Kelly Barnes, has now embraced the new identity of mgk. This change signifies a new chapter in his career and personal branding, as he continues to evolve as an artist in the music industry.
With his presence felt in the world of music and beyond, Machine Gun Kelly’s rebranding as mgk reflects a conscious decision to align his image with his artistic vision. As he moves forward in his career, fans can expect to see the rapper exploring new creative horizons under his new name, mgk.