Following a week of beefing with Slipknot, Machine Gun Kelly was greeted with a chorus of boos throughout the singer-rapper’s Saturday set at the metal-leaning Louder Than Life Festival.
Last weekend, Machine Gun Kelly launched into a tirade at Chicago’s Riot Fest against Slipknot — who were playing at the same time on a neighboring stage — calling the group “old weird dudes with masks.” It was later revealed that there was some residual animosity over a nixed collaboration between MGK and Slipknot’s Corey Taylor.
MGK — an artist who, as Taylor hinted, “failed in one genre and decided to go rock” — brought his new punk sound to the metal-purist Louisville, Kentucky festival Saturday, and the reception was not welcoming: According to reports and video from the gig, after every song that Kelly performed, a serenade of boos and middle fingers rose up from the crowd.
At one point, Kelly got into verbally with a festival-goer, even threatening him with a Star Wars light saber that was onstage for some reason:
Omg da light saber lmao i love him sm @machinegunkelly pic.twitter.com/SdiVzOjwA8
— snowflakequeen🇵🇭 (@_bornwithhorns_) September 26, 2021
“I see you dude, I see you mad as fuck in your weird fucking outfit. I’m here for the same shit you’re here for, so it’s all good. Clearly, I’m not going nowhere, so just enjoy.” he told the audience member. “You keep fuckin’ with me, homie? Trained Jedi, bitch!”
Things did get briefly physical when MGK and fans came face-to-face in the photo pit, with the singer tussling and throwing a punch at someone before security quickly whisked him away, an incident that was similar to his VMAs dust-up with Conor McGregor a few weeks earlier:
Despite the unwelcome reception, Kelly still managed to deliver his typical festival-length set. The artist is next scheduled to perform — to a likely more hospitable crowd — Sunday at Dover, Delaware’s Firefly Festival.