Machine Gun Kelly Says He's Returning To Rap For His Next Album

After a two-album dive into pop-punk, Machine Gun Kelly says he's returning to rap.

On an appearance on the Audacy Check In podcast this week, the "emo girl" singer opened up about what's next for him after the "Mainstream Sellout" tour, according to XXL.

"I’m going to do this tour and I’m gonna step into where I left Hotel Diablo and expand on my storytelling as a rapper and find a new innovative sound for the hip-hop Machine Gun Kelly. And that’s where my excitement is and that's, like, where me as a music archaeologist wants to explore. I did Tickets and I did Mainstream Sellout and I don't know what the next version of that sound is yet. So, I need to step away until I hear the right tone or the right inspiration," he said.

He said his next move is to "make a rap album for myself." He added the album is "For no other reason, no point to prove, no chip on my shoulder." Machine Gun Kelly's last rap album, Hotel Diablo, was released in July 2019. He released Tickets To My Downfall in September 2020, followed by mainstream sellout in March 2022. MGK, who just celebrated his 32nd birthday this week, touched on the impact his two previous pop-punk albums had on the decision of transitioning back into the Hotel Diablo era.

"I made Tickets (To My Downfall) and mainstream sellout because I wanted to make them. I need to now also make people miss that sound. ... Because Tickets and mainstream sellout are companion albums, I don't think making a third that's so close ... Sonically, making a third album is going to be unexciting unless it's missed," he said.