Machine Gun Kelly mocks Slipknot during concert

Both acts performed at Riot Fest over the weekend

Machine Gun Kelly’s attempt to mock Slipknot backfired after he drew the ire of the music community.

The rapper and singer, real name Colson Baker, paused to attack the metal legends during his performance at Riot Fest on Sunday night (19 September).

He told his fans: “You wanna know what I’m really happy that I’m not doing? Being 50 years old wearing a f*****g weird mask on a f*****g stage.”

His dig was clearly aimed at Slipknot, who are famous for their jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks worn both in their music videos and onstage. The band were performing on another stage around the same time.

Later in the set, Baker said: “Turn the lights up. Let me see who chose to be here instead of with all the old weird dudes with masks.”

His remarks were possibly a response to Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor’s comments last week, which could be interpreted as a criticism of Kelly and other singers credited with sparking an emo pop/pop-punk rap revival.

“The [young artists] that really frustrate me are the ones that they take something that’s been around forever and then just basically rework it and call it new — even though it’s completely derivative,” Taylor said.

On social media, Baker was widely mocked for his attempt to go after Slipknot.

“This ain’t the road you wanna travel brother,” fellow metal band Code Orange tweeted.

“MKG calling Slipknot ‘weird’ is the definition of audacity lol,” one fan tweeted.

It’s not the first time Kelly has courted controversy with another artist after his feud with Eminem in 2018. Kelly made comments regarding the “Lose Yourself” rapper’s daughter and accused Eminem of having him blacklisted from his radio station.

In response Eminem released the diss track “Kill Shot” and said he “did not give a f**k” about Kelly.

Kelly has also generated headlines for his relationship with actor, Megan Fox, who he met whilst working on the movie, Midnight in the Switchgrass in March 2020. Fox also starred in his music video for “Drunk Face”.