Machine Gun Kelly Mourns the Death of His Father With Emotional Tribute

Machine Gun Kelly is mourning the loss of his father, who died Sunday after being hospitalized for an illness unrelated to COVID-19. The singer announced the news later that day on Instagram, saying he had planned to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his fourth album, Hotel Diablo, but his father “took his last breath.” Kelly didn’t share the cause of his father’s death.

“I had plans for the one year anniversary of Hotel Diablo today…that album was everything i wanted to say and i know it’s close to my fans,” he began. “But my father took his last breath this morning, and ive never felt a pain this deep in my life. i’m setting my phone down. love you. thank you guys for everything.”

Kelly (born Richard Colson Baker), received a shower of support from his fans and friends, including fellow rapper Lil Skies, who said, “I love you my brother so much, with u thru anything,” and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, with whom he collaborates regularly. “Send all the the love in the world to you right now brother,” Barker commented.

According to a New York Times profile that ran Sunday, the artist just recently reconciled with his father, whom Kelly explained was hospitalized in Denver with an unspecified illness. “He’s so stoked that I’m playing guitar now. He called me the other day and told me that he’s really starting to enjoy my music,” MGK told the paper. “And he’s super proud of me.” Kelly shared in his Instagram Story that the last time he had seen his father, he had left the hospital at 4:44 p.m., and that they had sang together Neil Young’s “Old Man.”

Kelly’s career has been on the rise over the past few years as he has shifted some of his energy into acting. He made his film debut in Beyond the Lights in 2014, played a recurring role in the Showtime series Roadies, appeared in the Netflix original movie Bird Box, and starred in the Netflix Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt, as Tommy Lee in 2019. He and new girlfriend Megan Fox met while working together on set of the upcoming indie film Midnight in the Switchgrass.