“General Admission” Review: MGK Opens Up More Than Ever and Makes a Statement

  

For Machine Gun Kelly, it was far from an easy road to fame and more importantly to stay on top has been even harder. It’s been three years since MGK dropped his major label debut Lace Up  on Bad Boy Records and for him it was the culmination of the rise and struggle of making it into the music business as a hip-hop superstar from Cleveland, Ohio. However, Lace Up  was received with rather lukewarm responses and was perceived as a letdown to many people as they felt it was overly poppy at times and a quest for MGK to try and get a big radio hit. Fast forward to 2015 and he has decided to shut those critics down and let them inside the world of the scrappy MC from Cleveland who isn’t afraid to let loose. It’s a “General Admission” show into the mind of MGK.

 

No Story Goes Untold for the Cleveland MC 

One thing right from the start that the listener gets from General Admission   is the pure unadulterated honesty of MGK. He holds nothing back as he raps about many of his struggles as he grew up. A personal favorite of mine is “Story of the Stairs”, which hears MGK rapping over a melodic beat getting personal about his estranged relationship with his mother who left him when he was nine. Other tracks like “Gone” look at the other end of the spectrum and speak to the issues of drug addiction and depression as well as his issues with his father. MGK makes you feel his pain but it’s clear that this pain is what drives him to succeed and prove the doubters wrong.

 

 

The Man Can Still Spit

Although General Admission  is more refined and relaxed than earlier MGK releases that doesn’t mean we don’t get the MGK of old. He still raps with aggression on tracks like “Till I Die”, a thunderous anthem to his hometown of Cleveland. He even provides us with a surprise appearance from rock star Kid Rock on the song “Bad Motherfucker”. For me, it’s the MGK I grew up loving and showcases how versatile and gritty he can be. The album closes with “All Night Long”, which for me is an awesome finale of MGK rapping and transitioning to cool narrative that genuinely sums up the ups and downs for MGK and is a must listen for anyone who wants motivation to live out their dreams. 

In the end, it’s clear that MGK is here to stay whether you like it or not he isn’t going to let up anytime soon and General Admission  proves that he is more than a rapper, but an artist still trying to escape his demons. I definitely suggest giving this a listen for both old fans and new.

Overall: 4 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “Spotlight”, “Till I Die” and “All Night Long”