AceShowbiz - Machine Gun Kelly recently discussed his ongoing feud with Slipknot’s Corey Taylor in an in-depth conversation on the Chris Garza Podcast, hosted by the guitarist of Suicide Silence, on May 5.

During the podcast, Machine Gun Kelly addressed the conflict by framing it in simple terms: “What do you do if someone punches you in the face?” He recalled that when Garza responded he would punch back, Machine Gun Kelly affirmed that was exactly what happened. “I got punched in the face and I punched back, and that’s crazy?” he said, emphasizing his perspective on retaliation.

The rapper-turned-rock artist elaborated that before tensions arose with Corey Taylor, he had a close friendship with Slipknot’s DJ Sid Wilson. Although their relationship was strained during the feud, they have since reconciled. “Now me and Sid are back cool,” Machine Gun Kelly shared, “and Corey and I haven’t had a chance to speak. We were both tripping.”

Machine Gun Kelly stood firm on his decision to “punch back” and expressed no regret for how the dispute began. He revealed that he had once invited Corey Taylor to collaborate on his 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall, which marked his shift from rap to pop-punk. Specifically, Machine Gun Kelly wanted Taylor to feature on the deluxe edition track “Can’t Look Back.”

He explained, “I said, ‘I think it would be really cool to see you do this type of verse on this song,’ as a fan.” Despite Machine Gun Kelly having a positive experience collaborating with Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst—whose joint track “Fix Ur Face” recently topped Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart—Taylor ultimately declined the offer. “He was just like, ‘Oh, that’s not what I want to do, so I’m gonna just opt out of the record,’” Machine Gun Kelly recalled.

Following the album’s success, Machine Gun Kelly was surprised when Corey Taylor, someone he admired, began criticizing him publicly. The feud officially ignited in 2021 after Taylor made comments about artists switching to rock music after failing in their original genres, concluding with, “I think he knows who he is.”

In response, Machine Gun Kelly took aim at Taylor during a Riot Fest performance, saying, “You wanna know what I’m really happy that I’m not doing? Being 50 years old wearing a f-ing weird mask on a f-ing stage, talking sh-.”

Reiterating his stance, Machine Gun Kelly told Garza, “It’s a punch in the face, what’re you gonna do? You punch back.” He noted that after his retaliation, many people turned against him, but insisted, “It’s the same thing Corey would’ve done.”

Although the two have yet to reconcile directly, Machine Gun Kelly affirmed his ongoing respect for Slipknot’s music. However, he made clear that he “did not appreciate what happened” between them.

This candid discussion sheds light on the complexities behind the feud and how it affected relationships within the rock community, including Machine Gun Kelly’s friendship with Sid Wilson and his attempts to collaborate with Corey Taylor.

Fans can watch the full episode of the Chris Garza Podcast to hear more about Machine Gun Kelly’s perspective on the dispute and his evolving career in rock music.