Colson Baker, the artist professionally known as MGK, has built a career on defying expectations. From his origins as a Cleveland-based rapper to his reinvention as a chart-topping pop-punk star, Baker has consistently demonstrated a refusal to be confined to a single genre. His journey through music, acting, and a highly publicized personal life paints a picture of a modern artist in constant flux.
Baker first gained national attention in the early 2010s, signing with Bad Boy Records and releasing his debut hip-hop album, Lace Up, in 2012. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200, establishing him as a prominent new voice in rap. Over the next several years, he released a series of successful albums, including General Admission (2015) and Hotel Diablo (2019), which saw him increasingly experiment with rap-rock elements. His career was also marked by high-profile feuds, most notably a lyrical battle with Eminem in 2018 following the release of his diss track “Rap Devil.”
A significant turning point came in 2020 with the release of Tickets to My Downfall. Produced entirely by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, the album represented a complete departure from hip-hop in favor of a pop-punk sound. The pivot was a massive commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming the only rock album to achieve that feat in 2020. Its follow-up, Mainstream Sellout (2022), continued this trajectory, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album and solidifying his status as a leading figure in the genre’s revival.
Never one to stand still, MGK’s musical evolution continues. In March 2024, he collaborated with rapper Trippie Redd on the emo-rap EP Genre: Sadboy. He has since announced his next full-length album, Lost Americana, with a trailer surprisingly narrated by music legend Bob Dylan, signaling yet another potential shift in his sound. The album is available for pre-order on his official website.
Beyond music, Baker has cultivated a successful acting career under his birth name. He has appeared in numerous films, including the techno-thriller Nerve (2016), the post-apocalyptic horror Bird Box (2018), and earned praise for his portrayal of Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in the 2019 biopic The Dirt.
His personal life has also kept him in the headlines, particularly his relationship with actress Megan Fox. The couple met in 2020 and announced their engagement in January 2022. In a March 2024 podcast appearance, Fox confirmed they had called off their engagement at one point but described him as her “twin soul.” Their relationship took another turn in November 2024 when Fox announced she was pregnant. According to a report from E! News, the couple welcomed a daughter named Saga Blade Fox-Baker on March 27, 2025. Baker also has a daughter, Cassie, from a previous relationship.
Recently, Baker shared details of his unconventional diet, telling a streamer he practices intermittent fasting and often eats only a “couple of times a week,” subsisting on water, bone broth, kimchi, and sauerkraut for their probiotic benefits. From his music and acting to his personal life and diet, MGK remains a dynamic and unpredictable force in entertainment, continuously reshaping his narrative and keeping audiences guessing what he’ll do next.
