Machine Gun Kelly Calls Out Slipknot at Riot Fest: “Y’know What I’m Happy I’m NOT Doing? Being 50 Years Old, Wearing A Weird Mask Onstage”

MGK photo via Wikipedia
Published on:

Due to Nine Inch Nails dropping out at the last minute due to COVID-related concerns, Slipknot stepped in and performed at this year’s Riot Fest. While most fans seemed happy about that, given Slipknot’s rad music and epic stage show, one person who was apparently chapped was genre-hopping pop star Machine Gun Kelly, who took a moment out of his own Riot Fest set to take a jab at the Iowan nine-piece.

As reported by Kerrang!, in a video that’s since been deleted from Twitter, Machine Gun Kelly took a second between songs during his set — scheduled at the same time as Slipknot’s, interestingly enough — to say, “Hey, you wanna know what I’m really happy that I’m not doing? Being 50 years old wearing a fucking weird mask on a fucking stage talking shit. So anyway, what’s everyone’s favorite candy? Reese’s Pieces?” Well, actually he kind of garbles the diss, which doesn’t really help, but that’s the gist of it.

You can watch video of the attempted diss below:

According to the Chicago Sun-TimesKelly also said, ““Turn the lights up…Let me see who chose to be here instead of with all the old weird dudes with masks.” Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, meanwhile, told the crowd, “You’ve made us feel like family,” proving class doesn’t cost a damn thing.

On the one hand, Machine Gun Kelly is responding to Slipknot’s Corey Taylor saying that he “failed in one genre and decided to go rock,” so he’d argue that the two are Even Steven now. On the other, well, this shit is silly. Slipknot may be old guys in masks, but they’re still much bigger than Machine Gun Kelly, who is right now at the height of his fame. So calling out Slipknot for being old and still wearing masks while you’re a young pretty boy who’s still not as renowned as these ugly old midwesterners dressed like Michael Myers just shows that you’re punching up at the dudes you’ll someday wish you were. In which case, I dunno, maybe you should’ve tried a fucking mask or something.

Anyway, we wish Machine Gun Kelly the best in all his future endeavors, which we’re sure will involve more massive festival appearances and Kerrang! covers. Not as many as Slipknot, obviously, but you know.

***

Words by Chris Krovatin