My next boyfriend will have a tumblr. I’ll probably have to make him one.
Featuring Blink 182 !
http://www.glogster.com/kindalikekeegan/blink-182/g-6lhob7qk249e7pdghnvona0
I’m so proud of myself ((:
http://www.glogster.com/kindalikekeegan/lyrics-glog-by-kindalikekeegan/g-6li2ulqhkd6vpf2fghokga0
It all started with a tattoo and a pair of Chuck Taylors. Every time Machine Gun Kelly gets out of bed in the morning, he laces up his Chucks in order to start the day. Most people just categorize him as a rapper, but to me he’s a hero. His music speaks to me and inspires me to be everything I can be and more.
Machine Gun Kelly’s first mixtape, 100 Words & Running, includes the phrase ‘Lace Up’ several times. At first he was only referring to his Converse, but eventually the phrase began to mean something more. His second mixtape entitled, Lace Up, sheds light on the deeper meanings of the phrase. Throughout many of his songs, MGK tells the story of his life and all the struggles he’s been through. Even after being addicted to heroin, homeless, and practically orphaned, he’s kept his head up. Through his music, he tells his fans to never give up. This is what ‘Lace Up’ means.
I first started listening to MGK at the end of my freshman year. Once that summer rolled around, I had some of the hardest months of my life. My boyfriend of ten months broke up with me, and along with losing him, I lost my closest friends. I know this may not seem like such a struggle, especially compared to the ones MGK has been through, but it was hard for me. We were all a close knit group of friends, but when it came down to it, my ex-boyfriend was more important to them, than me. And when I say close knit, I mean, hanging out every weekend, all weekend, ‘conference’ calls almost every night, and looking out for each other. I was there for them through everything, but when I hit rock bottom and needed them the most, to get me through my break up, they were nowhere to be found. I felt so alone for months. I was actually glad when the summer ended, but do you know how I got through it, with a smile on my face? By listening to MGK. He inspired me to keep my head up. To stay strong. His music pulled me out of a deep depression.
Some of MGK’s struggles come from where he lives. He was not born in Ohio, but he was raised there. On the east side of Cleveland. Due to the atmosphere he grew up in, he was exposed to gang violence and drugs easily. Some of his closest friends have died from gang violence, and his addiction came from being exposed to drugs frequently. In his music, he also raps about where he’s from and the pride he has for his city, even if it’s put him through so many hardships.
I was born in Cleveland and raised in it. I used to be ashamed of where I came from. Our sports teams never win anything, we are known as ‘The Mistake on the Lake,’ and people are constantly ragging on our town for its bipolar weather. Once I was exposed to MGK’s music, I began to appreciate my city more. Some may think I only pretend to love Cleveland, because I am a big fan of his. This isn’t the case though. I don’t love Cleveland simply because MGK does. I love Cleveland, because he taught me how to.
One of my favorite qualities of MGK’s is that he is real. He is honest, and he is not afraid to share his opinion. This is my favorite quality of his, because I like to think that I posses the same one. Even though he has a record deal and goes on record-breaking concert tours, when he comes home to Cleveland, he’s just a regular guy. He doesn’t flaunt his money, nor does he own a mansion. He lives in a house with his manager and her mom, spending his time with his best friends and pulling pranks. He does not refer to himself as famous, and when he meets a fan, he would rather hang out with them than pose for a picture or sign an autograph. He is one the most easygoing people, and he interacts with his fans a lot. His whole persona inspires me.
Once MGK overcame his addiction and started putting his life back together, he met the men who are his closest friends to this day. While putting together his first mixtape, he and his friends noticed that they all had the same tattoo. Each and every one of them has an ‘established’ tattoo. You know the ones the say EST. and the year the person was born? They all had one. Before long, they came up with a new meaning for EST. In their eyes, it means Everyone Stands Together. MGK and his crew live by this motto everyday. They’ve even extended it to their fans. They look out for one another and us, the fans. We do the same. We’ve become the EST Family.
For me, it’s hard to explain what the EST Family means to me, because they are everything to me. The die hard fans just seem to have a connection with each other that you can’t find anywhere else. Plus, they know good music. We connect through social networking and concerts, but the best part is when you come across an EST member at the mall, or a school dance. You feel the connection, and you know that this person would do anything for you. This person might even be a better friend than your real friends. It’s amazing to have that kind of connection with someone. EST has taught me as much as Lacing Up has. When you have a family like the EST Family, you learn to accept others’ flaws and differences. EST helps me shy away from prejudices.
‘Lace Up’ is the philosophy, EST is the movement. I would not be where I am in life today, if were not for Machine Gun Kelly and my EST Family. They mean more to me than the world. Even though MGK won’t be a famous rapper forever, his message always will be. He inspires people, and that will never change.
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