Machine Gun Kelly swung back into rock mode last week when he hopped on stage with Mötley Crüe for a live rendition of “The Dirt (Est. 1981),” their 2019 collaboration for the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the band’s biography of the same name. The rapper joined the metal legends during their set at Hellfest in Clisson, France.
In fan video of the moment, singer Vince Neil sings the first verse of the song as a dancer writhes on stripper pole behind him, with MGK — dressed in a black studded vest and matching pants — stomping out midway through to add his verse. He also bobbed his head during a solo from ex-Rob Zombie guitarist John 5, who is currently the band’s touring guitarist following the tour retirement of founding guitarist Mick Mars.
“The Dirt” was one of four fresh tracks the Crüe recorded for the soundtrack of the 2019 Netflix movie in which MGK portrayed Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. “More sex, more tats, more blood, more pain… Late night ride down the Sunset Strip/ New bike with the plate reading ‘666’,” MGK raps in the lyrics that tick off the full Crüe checklist of necessary topics, including cocaine, fast bikes and well-endowed strippers.
As he continues to flip-flop between rap and rock, Kelly’s Crüe collab follows on the heels of the career retrospective hip-hop track “Pressure,” which he dropped in late May. “The diamonds are symbolic of all the pressure they put on me until I shined/ My life is symbiotic with the culture, I could never, ever lose the vibe,” MGK rhymes on the song accompanied by a video in which he returns to his hometown of Cleveland with his pal Bupkis star Pete Davidson in tow.
Check out fan video of “The Dirt” featuring MGK below.
