MGK: From East Side Rap to Pop Rock

Starting with East Side rap, MGK transitioned into pop rock. How is that even possible? Spoiler: it's easy—if you get to know MGK better.

Colson Baker himself (MGK) has repeatedly said: “My life is multi culture, I never ever lose the vibe.” That phrase truly describes his musical journey. MGK originally was a pure East Side rapper — the ultimate outsider, growing up surrounded by Black homies, rapping in their circles. His first two albums — Lace Up and General Admission — were exactly that. But over time, MGK became more melodic: on his third album, he reveals a romantic, sincere side (most popular track: “Let You Go”) and shares his feelings in collaborations with Camila Cabello (“Bad Things”) and Hailee Steinfeld (“At My Best”). These songs became his most streamed, showing a different side of Colson. From there, MGK started experimenting. BINGE is arguably the most experimental project in his discography — a mix of addiction struggles, introspection, and a diss aimed at Eminem, layered into a complex, atmospheric, at times aggressive and transformative sound for MGK.

At this point, MGK’s career enters a new chapter: Hotel Diablo — a new album and a whole new universe, and at the same time, a sort of rebirth for the artist. On the cover, a young Colson appears, and behind it are childhood memories of family issues, an absent mother, and a troubled relationship with his father. Key tracks include hard-hitting rap bangers like El Diablo and FLOOR 13, as well as Candy — his first collaboration with Trippie Redd (and as we’ll later see, not the last — they’ll even release a joint album). But the most important song on the album wasn’t rap at all — it was an unexpected punk rock anthem of youth. I Think I’m Okay, featuring YUNGBLUD, became legendary. As the final track on the album, it marked the arrival of a new MGK and a new era: punk rock. That song changed a lot — it kicked off a reboot of the punk rock wave. Many artists in 2020 either launched their careers in this genre or shifted their sound in that direction. It was a powerful wave of new punk rock during the pandemic era, and at its center was another key figure — Travis Barker (drummer of Blink-182), who produced I Think I’m Okay, along with many other tracks and albums by up-and-coming artists at the time.

A year after Hotel Diablo, MGK released his debut punk rock album Ticket to My Downfall — a beautiful punk ballad about love, self-destruction, loss, and regret. In places, it’s truly academic punk rock, but there’s room for pop rock too — like my ex’s best friend with blackbear (755 million streams). The album performed well on the charts, set trends, and helped revive the punk rock era. A sequel felt inevitable, and a year and a half later, MGK dropped Mainstream Sellout — a logical continuation of the punk rock saga, but with a clear emo rock sound. The album features many collaborations and various narrative styles, making it less structured than the previous one. But that chaos actually reflects MGK’s emo-punk era perfectly: no rules — just multicultural blends of rap, punk, pop, and rock, wrapped in raw, unapologetic lyrics.

It’s been three years since the release of Mainstream Sellout (2022). During this time, MGK has explored multiple genres and experimented a lot. A number of life events happened during the making of Mainstream Sellout — Megan Fox’s miscarriage, the deterioration of their relationship. All of this influenced his sound — it became more restrained, less aggressive, more melodic and lyrical. During this period, a duo formed between MGK and Trippie Redd — they released a joint album titled genre: sad boys — an entirely sad, melancholic record that didn’t aim for chart success but stood as a sincere, deeply personal statement.

On August 8, 2025, MGK released Lost Americano — an album that sounds nothing like its predecessors, yet feels like a natural evolution from emotional punk rock toward a more lyrical, accessible pop rock sound. There are no bangers here to dive into a moshpit — only danceable pop rock. You could describe it as a more mature and softer sound for MGK, while still preserving the spirit of youth.