machine gun kelly blackbear
[Photo by: Jordan Wozy]

Machine Gun Kelly brings out blackbear for surprise EST Fest performance

Machine Gun Kelly brought out blackbear to surprise fans with a performance of “End Of The Road” at EST Fest. 

On Saturday, the rapper was performing his headlining set when he put two songs on the jumbotron behind him. 

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Those songs were Swing Life Away featuring Kellin Quinn off the Black Flag mixtape and “End Of The Road” from Lace Up. The audience “voted” by screaming and clapping with the second song winning. Then, blackbear, who is featured on the song, came out to perform with MGK. 

After blackbear and MGK did “End Of The Road,” blackbear performed “do re mi” alone. You can see that below. 

Also, MGK performed with phem and Namoi Wild during his set, both who feature on his latest album Hotel Diablo. You can check out videos from that below. 

Other performers at this weekend’s sixth annual EST Fest included YUNGBLUD, 21 Savage, Da Baby, Mod Sun and more. MGK performed both nights, with his headlining set being Saturday. 

On Friday, MGK joined YUNGBLUD to play “I Think I’m Okay” not just once, but twice. Check out that below. 

 

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Prior to the festival, MGK spoke with Altpress about the festival and the movement behind it. He spoke about never being held within the confines of any one box. 

He also discussed EST, or Everyone Stands Together, a fanbase that’s more like a family in the way they embrace loyalty and support. The rallying cry has rung true throughout the rapper’s rise, solidifying a die-hard movement. Physically projected through everything from the ink on MGK’s chest to black bandanas sported by both him and fans, EST gives the outcasts, the misfits and the underdogs a place to call home.

While MGK and his band are excited to finally be able to bring Hotel Diablo to life onstage in full, EST Fest is so much bigger than its stellar lineup. Pinpointing his loyal fanbase, MGK explains, “We could throw that festival without one person performing, and everyone would still come.”

After revealing that the festival is “like a vacation for [him],” the rapper elaborates, explaining it’s one of the few chances where he gets to hang out with his fans and not worry about being asked for photos all day.

“It means something,” he says. “It’s become a tradition. There’s a feel out there. There is no cellphone service. Everyone’s just stuck together. [It’s] like this speakeasy amongst this downtown of festivals. Some of the craziest stories of my life are at that festival.”

Read more: Machine Gun Kelly announces fall tour with Young Thug, more

Between that die-hard fanbase and his ability to crush the confines of expectations placed upon him, the origin of his now sixth EST Fest should come as no surprise. Festival organizer Andre Cisco has been working with the rapper as his tour manager since 2011. As his career progressed, Kells expressed a desire to get booked at music festivals. With bookings failing to fall into place, the rapper, along with his band and team, continued to break down walls.

“We always wanted to be on huge festivals, and he was like, ‘Man, I’m not really getting booked for stuff,’” Cisco explains. “At the time, and we still have a crazy live show, but I think promoters were standoffish. It was hard for us to get insured as a company. We were just like, ‘Man, let’s just throw our own festival.’”

You can read the full interview with the rapper here

What do you think of MGK’s amazing EST set? Sound off in the comments down below!

See more: 16 memorable band photos

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