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126-400: Colson Baker (born April 22, 1990), known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly ( MGK , stylized in all lowercase), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. MGK released four mixtapes between 2007 and 2010 before signing with Puff Daddy 's Bad Boy Records , an imprint of Interscope Records the following year. His debut studio album, Lace Up (2012) peaked at number four on

252-653: A concept album . Mixtapes have become staples in the music industry and are sometimes released as holdovers or low-key releases between studio albums . Lesser-known artists may release them free online on more accessible streaming platforms like SoundCloud to gain exposure, while well-known industry artists who release mixtapes usually promote them as "commercial mixtapes" as they are released on profitable streaming platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music . Notable examples of commercial mixtapes include Street Gossip by Lil Baby , MMM (Money Making Mitch) by Puff Daddy , and Dark Lane Demo Tapes by Drake . While

378-428: A label . This also allowed for more artistry as mixtapes were not confined by the legal restrictions of a record label. As a result of his mixtapes' success, he released his critically acclaimed album, Get Rich or Die Tryin' . By the mid-to-late 2000s, the definition of the original mixtape in the 1970s seemed to vanish, and instead became the term for any musical project to promote rising artists. The creation of

504-558: A chapel on 128th Street in 2005. Many of the area's churches are " storefront churches ", which operate in an empty store, or a basement, or a converted brownstone townhouse. These congregations may have fewer than 30–50 members each, but there are hundreds of them. Others are old, large, and designated landmarks. Especially in the years before World War II, Harlem produced popular Christian charismatic "cult" leaders, including George Wilson Becton and Father Divine . Mosques in Harlem include

630-409: A forefront of both his rap and personal character. Before the release of Lace Up , he had an addiction to heroin . He was also a heavy user of cocaine and alcohol before 2020, when he revealed that he had become addicted to Adderall and was seeking treatment. In a 2012 interview, he stated that he identifies politically as an anarchist . In 2022, when he was asked on whether he plans to vote in

756-448: A full album rollout. As an example, R&B artist 4Batz released his debut mixtape U Made Me a St4r shortly after his significant mainstream blowup from his single, " Act II: Date @ 8 ". While mixtapes used to be distributed for free, Spotify , Apple Music , and Soundcloud have blurred the line between what is considered a full-on album versus what is considered a mixtape. However, artists typically distinguish an album from

882-580: A major African-American cultural movement. With job losses during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the deindustrialization of New York City after World War II , rates of crime and poverty increased significantly. In the 21st century, crime rates decreased significantly, and Harlem started to gentrify . The area is served by the New York City Subway and local bus routes. It contains several public elementary, middle, and high schools, and

1008-559: A minor role in the techno-thriller adventure film Nerve with Emma Roberts and Dave Franco ; and had a recurring role on the Showtime comedy-drama series Roadies as Wes, a former Pearl Jam roadie. He played Felix in the 2018 Netflix post-apocalyptic horror thriller film Bird Box with Sandra Bullock , and portrayed drummer Tommy Lee in The Dirt , a 2019 Netflix biographical comedy-drama about Mötley Crüe . He played

1134-492: A mixtape in two ways: The marketing of a mixtape is usually minimal, spontaneous, and unorthodox. In contrast, studio albums often have more professional media campaigns, music videos and a set release. Because of a mixtape's "unpredictability" that varies from artist, mixtapes may entertain fans with excitement due to surprise releases. On streaming platforms, mixtapes are nearly identical in format, as both include album art, titles, and track lists. However, mixtapes may lack

1260-528: A music video was released for the Tickets to my Downfall song "Drunk Face", directed by Mod Sun , which was followed on October 22, 2020, by a music video for " Forget Me Too ". Throughout October 2020, the four episodes of Halloween in Hell , a fictionalised musical horror podcast that Baker created and starred in, were released. The series also starred Iann Dior, 24kGoldn , Dana Dentata, Phem and Tommy Lee . The podcast

1386-417: A new mixtape. Pusha T and Meek Mill were the first artists to be featured on the mixtape, both appearing on the track "Pe$ o". Baker also announced that Wiz Khalifa will be featured on the mixtape. On February 18, 2013, Baker announced the name of the mixtape as Black Flag and revealed the cover. He also released a music video for "Champions" which features Diddy and samples The Diplomats song " We Are

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1512-477: A new sound to their original counterpart. In the 1990s, mixtapes eventually moved to CD burners and MP3 players as the cassette tape declined. The curation of mixtapes became more intimate as well, as many curators would assemble songs in their tapes as an overarching theme that they could send to their audience. This was highlighted in Nick Hornby's novel High Fidelity , released in 1995: To me, making

1638-615: A number of radio stations. On May 16, 2017, Baker performed a freestyle for KPWR , which featured a line referencing Eminem's supposed banning of him from Shade 45 . On March 1, 2018, Baker featured on a verse of Tech N9ne 's song, "No Reason". Shortly after, on August 31, 2018, Eminem released his diss track " Not Alike ," where he claimed that Baker's verse on the song was about him. On September 3, 2018, Baker responded to this with his own diss track " Rap Devil ". On September 12, 2018, Eminem released an interview with Sway Calloway through his YouTube channel where he discussed his reason behind

1764-400: A precursor to an upcoming album for artists. As an example, Travis Scott released his mixtape, Days Before Rodeo as an anticipation project for his debut album, Rodeo . Another example is While We Wait by singer and songwriter Kehlani . The name of the tape highlights the informal circumstances of the mixtape, which was released in interim to give her fans music to listen to before

1890-454: A remix of "My House" by PVRIS . Some tracks were later re-released on special editions of Tickets to My Downfall . Tickets to My Downfall' s first single " Bloody Valentine " was released on May 1, 2020, followed by " Concert for Aliens " on August 5 and " My Ex's Best Friend " featuring Blackbear on August 7. In August 2020, Baker opened his own coffee house called 27 Club Coffee in his hometown of Cleveland , Ohio. On September 29, 2020,

2016-535: A series of economic boom-and-bust cycles, with significant population shifts accompanying each cycle. Harlem was predominantly occupied by Jewish and Italian Americans in the late 19th century, while African-American residents began to arrive in large numbers during the Great Migration in the early 20th century. In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem were the center of the Harlem Renaissance ,

2142-411: A start at the school. By the 2010s, new dining hotspots were opening in Harlem around Frederick Douglass Boulevard. At the same time, some residents fought back against the powerful waves of gentrification the neighborhood is experiencing. In 2013, residents staged a sidewalk sit-in to protest a five-days-a-week farmers market that would shut down Macombs Place at 150th Street. Uptown Night Market

2268-412: A tape is like writing a letter — there’s a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You’ve got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention ***, and then you’ve got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can’t have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can’t have two tracks by

2394-463: A wider audience to the hip-hop sound. These cassettes eventually became colloquially known as mixtapes. The introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1979 saw major improvements in the mobility and practicality of mixtapes. In the 1980s and 1990s, mixtapes evolved as recordings of exclusive tracks, freestyles, and remixes. They also started becoming a visible element of youth culture . This blended both

2520-549: Is also the birthplace of popular hip-hop dances such as the Harlem shake , toe wop, and Chicken Noodle Soup . Harlem's classical music birthed organizations and chamber ensembles such as Roberta Guaspari 's Opus 118, Harlem Chamber Players, Omnipresent Music Festival BIPOC Musicians Festival , Harlem Quartet , and musicians such as violinist Edward W. Hardy . In the 1920s, African-American pianists who lived in Harlem invented their own style of jazz piano, called stride , which

2646-607: Is bounded by Cathedral Parkway/110th Street on the south; 155th Street on the north; Manhattan/Morningside Ave/St. Nicholas/Bradhurst/Edgecombe Avenues on the east; and Riverside Park/the Hudson River on the west. Manhattanville begins at roughly 123rd Street and extends northward to 135th Street. The northernmost section of West Harlem is Hamilton Heights. A chain of large linear parks includes West Harlem Piers , Riverbank State Park , St. Nicholas Park, and Jackie Robinson Park. East Harlem , also called Spanish Harlem or El Barrio ,

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2772-609: Is close to several colleges, including Columbia University , Manhattan School of Music , and the City College of New York . Central Harlem is part of Manhattan Community District 10 . It is patrolled by the 28th and 32nd Precincts of the New York City Police Department . The greater Harlem area also includes Manhattan Community Districts 9 and 11 and several police precincts, while fire services are provided by four New York City Fire Department companies. Harlem

2898-461: Is home to over 400 churches, some of which are official city or national landmarks. Major Christian denominations include Baptists , Pentecostals, Methodists (generally African Methodist Episcopal Zionist , or "AMEZ" and African Methodist Episcopalian , or "AME"), Episcopalians , and Roman Catholic . The Abyssinian Baptist Church has long been influential because of its large congregation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built

3024-659: Is located in Upper Manhattan . The three neighborhoods comprising the greater Harlem area—West, Central, and East Harlem—stretch from the Harlem River and East River to the east, to the Hudson River to the west; and between 155th Street in the north, where it meets Washington Heights , and an uneven boundary along the south that runs along 96th Street east of Fifth Avenue , 110th Street between Fifth Avenue to Morningside Park , and 125th Street west of Morningside Park to

3150-526: Is located within Manhattan Community District 11, which is bounded by East 96th Street on the south, East 138th Street on the north, Fifth Avenue on the west, and the Harlem River on the east. A chain of parks includes Thomas Jefferson Park and Marcus Garvey Park. In the 2010s some real estate professionals started rebranding south Harlem as "SoHa" (a name standing for "South Harlem" in

3276-479: The Billboard 200 chart, becoming his fourth top ten album. On December 18, 2019, Baker released the single "Why Are You Here", another pop punk song. Later on in the same month, he began teasing an upcoming project with Travis Barker producing, it was then later revealed that the album would be an entirely pop punk, stating he was inspired to pursue a whole release in the style because of his two previously released in

3402-470: The Billboard 200. It was preceded by the singles "Loco" and "Rap Devil", and coincided with the release of his Ronny J -produced single, "Lately" that same day. The EP saw largely unfavorable critical response. In April 2019, Billboard reported that Baker's upcoming album would be titled Hotel Diablo . The first single, " Hollywood Whore ", was released on May 17, 2019. The second single, " El Diablo ",

3528-470: The Billboard 200—becoming the only rock album to do so that year—and was supported by the single " My Ex's Best Friend " (featuring blackbear ), which peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Its sequel, Mainstream Sellout (2022) served as his sixth album and matched its commercial success, although critical reception was mixed. MGK had his first starring role in the romantic drama Beyond

3654-468: The Interborough Rapid Transit and elevated railway lines, helped Harlem's economic growth, as they connected Harlem to lower and midtown Manhattan. The Jewish and Italian demographic decreased, while the black and Puerto Rican population increased in this time. The early-20th century Great Migration of black people to northern industrial cities was fueled by their desire to leave behind

3780-493: The Jim Crow South, seek better jobs and education for their children, and escape a culture of lynching violence; during World War I , expanding industries recruited black laborers to fill new jobs, thinly staffed after the draft began to take young men. In 1910, Central Harlem population was about 10% black people. By 1930, it had reached 70%. Starting around the time of the end of World War I, Harlem became associated with

3906-639: The Masjid Malcolm Shabazz (formerly Mosque No. 7 Nation of Islam , and the location of the 1972 Harlem mosque incident ), the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood and Masjid Aqsa. Judaism, too, maintains a presence in Harlem through the Old Broadway Synagogue . A non-mainstream synagogue of Black Hebrews , known as Commandment Keepers , was based in a synagogue at 1 West 123rd Street until 2008. Many places in Harlem are official city landmarks labeled by

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4032-573: The New Negro movement, and then the artistic outpouring known as the Harlem Renaissance , which extended to poetry, novels, theater, and the visual arts. So many black people came that it "threaten[ed] the very existence of some of the leading industries of Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama." Many settled in Harlem. By 1920, central Harlem was 32.43% black. The 1930 census revealed that 70.18% of central Harlem's residents were black and lived as far south as Central Park , at 110th Street. However, by

4158-591: The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission or are listed on the National Register of Historic Places : Other prominent points of interest include: The demographics of Harlem's communities have changed throughout its history. In 1910, black residents formed 10% of Harlem's population, but by 1930, they had become a 70% majority. The period between 1910 and 1930 was marked by the Great Migration of African Americans from

4284-457: The Section 8 housing that was being placed, many were not able to live there and had to find homes elsewhere or become homeless. These policies are examples of societal racism , also known as structural racism. As public health leaders have named structural racism as a key social determinant of health disparities between racial and ethnic minorities, these 20th century policies have contributed to

4410-581: The lead single for the album and the song peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 98. It was soon certified gold by the RIAA . The song " Invincible " was released on iTunes on December 16, 2011, featuring co-writer and singer Ester Dean as the second single of the album. The song is featured in a commercial for the HTC ReZound as well as the official theme song of WrestleMania XXVIII . WWE also used

4536-480: The midterm elections , he replied: "I have anarchy tattooed on my stomach. I'm not a political person". In May 2020, he began a relationship with actress Megan Fox after the two met while filming Midnight in the Switchgrass . On January 12, 2022, Fox announced that the two were engaged. In March 2024, Fox revealed that the couple had called their engagement off. In November 2024, Fox revealed on Instagram that she

4662-631: The redlining policy. This policy rated neighborhoods, such as Central Harlem, as unappealing based on the race, ethnicity, and national origins of the residents. Central Harlem was deemed 'hazardous' and residents living in Central Harlem were refused home loans or other investments. Comparably, wealthy and white residents in New York City neighborhoods were approved more often for housing loans and investment applications. Overall, they were given preferential treatment by city and state institutions. In

4788-495: The 109,091 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 926.05 acres (374.76 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 128.1 inhabitants per acre (82,000/sq mi; 31,700/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.5% (11,322) White , 63% (74,735) African American , 0.3% (367) Native American , 2.4% (2,839) Asian , 0% (46) Pacific Islander , 0.3% (372) from other races , and 2.2% (2,651) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.2% (26,333) of

4914-579: The 1930s, the neighborhood was hit hard by job losses in the Great Depression . In the early 1930s, 25% of Harlemites were out of work, and employment prospects for Harlemites stayed poor for decades. Employment among black New Yorkers fell as some traditionally black businesses, including domestic service and some types of manual labor, were taken over by other ethnic groups. Major industries left New York City altogether, especially after 1950. Several riots happened in this period, including in 1935 and 1943 . There were major changes following World War II . In

5040-484: The 1960s, uneducated black people could find jobs more easily than educated ones could, confounding efforts to improve the lives of people who lived in the neighborhood through education. Land owners took advantage of the neighborhood and offered apartments to the lower-class families for cheaper rent but in lower-class conditions. By 1999 there were 179,000 housing units available in Harlem. Housing activists in Harlem state that, even after residents were given vouchers for

5166-730: The Black population's decrease by 11% (9,544). While the growth of the Hispanic / Latino was predominantly in Central Harlem North, the decrease in the Black population was slightly greater in Central Harlem South, and the drastic increase in the White population was split evenly across the two census tabulation areas. Meanwhile, the Asian population grew by 211% (1,927) but remained a small minority, and

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5292-529: The Block" single. In February 2010, he released his second mixtape 100 Words and Running , where he derived his catchphrase, "Lace Up", which started as a mixtape interlude, before making it a prominent reference in his music. Despite his rising popularity, Baker still worked at Chipotle to afford rent. Baker soon also became a father. In May 2010, he made his national debut with the single "Alice in Wonderland", which

5418-571: The Champions ", as the music video release served as a promotional video for Black Flag . On June 26, Baker released Black Flag without prior announcement. The mixtape also featured guest appearances from French Montana , Kellin Quinn , Dub-O, Sean McGee and Tezo. On June 4, 2013, Baker posted a picture of a letter on his social media accounts which read: This project is dedicated to love, because for my entire life it has been taken from me. Granted, when it

5544-461: The Hudson River. Encyclopædia Britannica references these boundaries, though the Encyclopedia of New York City takes a much more conservative view of Harlem's boundaries, regarding only central Harlem as part of Harlem proper. Central Harlem is the name of Harlem proper; it falls under Manhattan Community District 10. This section is bounded by Fifth Avenue on the east; Central Park on

5670-624: The Lights (2014), and since appeared in the techno-thriller Nerve (2016), the horror Bird Box (2018), the comedy Big Time Adolescence and portrayed Tommy Lee in the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt (both 2019). Colson Baker was born on April 22, 1990, in Houston, Texas . Baker's parents were both Christian missionaries and moved all around the world during Baker's childhood. He lived in Egypt for

5796-629: The North American leg of Linkin Park 's One More Light Tour before the tour was cancelled due to Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington 's suicide. Baker would subsequently pay tribute to Bennington by releasing an acoustic cover of the Linkin Park song " Numb ". On September 3, 2018, Baker released the song " Rap Devil ". The track was a response to Eminem 's diss track "Not Alike" off of his album Kamikaze . Playing on Eminem's own " Rap God " single,

5922-718: The Prohibition era, and was dubbed "Jungle Alley" because of "inter-racial mingling" on the street. Some jazz venues, including the Cotton Club , where Duke Ellington played, and Connie's Inn , were restricted to whites only. Others were integrated, including the Renaissance Ballroom and the Savoy Ballroom. In 1936, Orson Welles produced his black Macbeth at the Lafayette Theater in Harlem. Grand theaters from

6048-473: The South to northern cities, including New York. Within the city, this era also witnessed an influx of black residents from downtown Manhattan neighborhoods, where black people were feeling less welcome, to the Harlem area. The black population in Harlem peaked in 1950, with a 98% share of the population of 233,000. As of 2000, central Harlem's black residents comprised 77% of the total population of that area; however,

6174-585: The US Billboard 200 and was led by the single " Wild Boy " (featuring Waka Flocka Flame ), which marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second and third albums, General Admission (2015) and Bloom (2017) were both met with critical praise and similar commercial success;

6300-448: The ability to be released on major streaming platforms. Some of these include Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper , Live. Love. ASAP by ASAP Rocky , and So Far Gone by Drake . Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan , New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on

6426-621: The ages of 0–17, while 35% are between 25 and 44, and 24% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 11% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 10 was $ 49,059. In 2018, an estimated 21% of Community District 10 residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. Around 12% of residents were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or

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6552-569: The album had been retitled to Mainstream Sellout . Critical reception was mixed. Baker's early musical style has been described as hip hop , and rap rock . His fifth album, Tickets to My Downfall , marked a change in sound and has been described as pop-punk and alternative rock . Baker cites DMX and Eminem as music influences, as well as listening to rock bands Guns N' Roses and Blink-182 during his youth. Baker cites these rap and rock artists as major musical influences. In an interview discussing his collaboration with DMX, Baker called

6678-432: The black population has recently declined as many African Americans move out and more immigrants move in. As of 2021, central Harlem's Black residents numbered 56,668, comprising 44% of the total population. In that regard, there are an estimated 27% (34,773) Hispanics, 18% (23,182) White, 4% (5,151) Asian, 6% (7,727) of two or more races and 2% (2,575) Other. Harlem suffers from unemployment rates generally more than twice

6804-428: The chorus. On December 15, 2021, Dr. Dre released a song titled "Gospel" off his new EP The Contract featuring Eminem. In this song, Eminem dissed Baker again. In January 2022, fans speculated the feud would reignite after TikToker Hannah Neuman (@unluckyp1ckle) resurfaced a 2013 interview with Fuse.tv , wherein a then 23 year old Baker said he had a crush on an underage Kendall Jenner and wouldn't wait until she

6930-419: The citywide average, as well as high poverty rates. and the numbers for men have been consistently worse than the numbers for women. Private and governmental initiatives to ameliorate unemployment and poverty have not been successful. During the Great Depression , unemployment in Harlem went past 20% and people were being evicted from their homes. At the same time, the federal government developed and instituted

7056-542: The community has also hosted numerous actors and theater companies, including the New Heritage Repertory Theater, National Black Theater, Lafayette Players, Harlem Suitcase Theater, The Negro Playwrights, American Negro Theater , and the Rose McClendon Players. The Apollo Theater opened on 125th Street on January 26, 1934, in a former burlesque house . The Savoy Ballroom , on Lenox Avenue ,

7182-408: The construction of new projects. From the mid-20th century, the low quality of education in Harlem has been a source of distress. In the 1960s, about 75% of Harlem students tested under grade levels in reading skills, and 80% tested under grade level in math. In 1964, residents of Harlem staged two school boycotts to call attention to the problem. In central Harlem, 92% of students stayed home. In

7308-423: The current population health disparities between Central Harlem and other New York City neighborhoods. For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Central Harlem into two neighborhood tabulation areas: Central Harlem North and Central Harlem South, divided by 126th street. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Central Harlem was 118,665, a change of 9,574 (8.1%) from

7434-592: The east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155th Street, east to the East River , and south to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard , Central Park , and East 96th Street . Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Harlem's history has been defined by

7560-434: The end of G-Eazy's relationship with Halsey , when photographs of Baker and Halsey together surfaced. On July 18, 2018, G-Eazy revealed that he had bleached his hair blond, which Baker alleged on Twitter was in an attempt to look like him. On August 30, 2018, G-Eazy released the diss track "Bad Boy" against Baker, who responded the next day in a freestyle performed for Hot 97 . The same day, Baker tweeted side-by-side photos of

7686-399: The fast pace of social media . One song can blow up an artist, and mixtapes give the ability for artists to answer quickly to their recent success and ride their wave of fame. Because of the flexibility that mixtapes allow, releasing them on platforms like TikTok can instantly increase an artist's mainstream recognition and reach a broader audience, and of course, without the expectations of

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7812-626: The feud they had, even clarifying that the two singers have a lot in common, saying: "He and I are very similar in certain ways. Which, shock and awe. Big-mouth singers. We are big-mouth singers". Studio albums Headlining tours Co-headlining tours Mixtape Prior to the decline of physical media , mixtapes were defined as homemade compilations of music played through a cassette tape , CD , or digital playlist and became significant in hip-hop culture . The songs were typically beatmatched and consisted of seamless transitions at their beginnings and endings with fades or abrupt edits. It

7938-450: The feud. On September 14, 2018, Eminem released " Killshot ," in response to "Rap Devil". On January 17, 2020, Eminem released the song " Unaccommodating ," which featured a verse directed at Baker. On March 17, 2020, Baker released the song "Bullets with Names," featuring Young Thug , RJMrLA and Lil Duke, which featured a verse directed at Eminem. On December 18, 2020, Eminem released the song " Gnat ". In this song, Eminem dissed Baker in

8064-426: The fewest opportunities for success. Though the federal government's Model Cities Program spent $ 100 million on job training, health care, education, public safety, sanitation, housing, and other projects over a ten-year period, Harlem showed no improvement. The city began auctioning its enormous portfolio of Harlem properties to the public in 1985. This was intended to improve the community by placing property in

8190-576: The film stars Chase Hudson and Sydney Sweeney as teenage lovers in what Baker described as a "pop-punk [version of] Grease ". Iann Dior , Phem , Jxdn , and Trippie Redd , also make appearances. On March 12, 2021, he released the single " DayWalker " featuring Corpse Husband . On April 29, he released the single " Love Race " featuring Kellin Quinn , the pair's third collaboration. On August 9, 2021, he announced that his next album would be titled Born with Horns and would be another collaborative project with Barker. The first single, " Papercuts ",

8316-701: The first four years of his life and learned to speak Arabic before he learned English. He later lived in Kenya and Germany , as well as throughout the United States in Texas , Los Angeles, California , and Chicago, Illinois . Baker's mother left home when he was nine years old and he and his father moved to Denver, Colorado to live with Baker's aunt. Baker's father fought depression and unemployment. Baker says he had just two school outfits and that he endured bullying from children in his neighborhood. He began listening to rap in

8442-644: The genre. On January 14, 2020, Baker announced the title of the project as Tickets to My Downfall , and that it would be released on September 25, 2020. On March 17, 2020, he released the song "Bullets with Names", featuring Young Thug , RJMrLA and Lil Duke, a rap track not associated with the album. During the COVID-19 lockdowns , Baker began to release daily recordings, covers, and collaborations as part of his #LockdownSessions series. Releases included covers of " Misery Business " by Paramore (with Travis Barker), " Champagne Supernova " by Oasis (with Yungblud), and

8568-406: The hands of people who would live in them and maintain them. In many cases, the city would even pay to completely renovate a property before selling it (by lottery) below market value. After the 1990s, Harlem began to grow again. Between 1990 and 2006 the neighborhood's population grew by 16.9%, with the percentage of black people decreasing from 87.6% to 69.3%, then dropping to 54.4% by 2010, and

8694-488: The late 1950s and early 1960s, Harlem was the scene of a series of rent strikes by neighborhood tenants, led by local activist Jesse Gray , together with the Congress of Racial Equality , Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited (HARYOU), and other groups. These groups wanted the city to force landlords to improve the quality of housing by bringing them up to code, to take action against rats and roaches , to provide heat during

8820-533: The late 19th and early 20th centuries were torn down or converted to churches. Harlem lacked any permanent performance space until the creation of the Gatehouse Theater in an old Croton aqueduct building on 135th Street in 2006. From 1965 until 2007, the community was home to the Harlem Boys Choir , a touring choir and education program for young boys, most of whom are black. The Girls Choir of Harlem

8946-445: The latter was supported by the single " Bad Things " (with Camila Cabello ), which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. His fourth album, Hotel Diablo (2019) further experimented with rap rock . MGK's fifth album, Tickets to My Downfall (2020) saw a complete departure from hip-hop in favor of a pop-punk sound and aesthetic, with its production entirely helmed by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker . It debuted atop

9072-673: The leadership of Peter Stuyvesant . During the American Revolution , the British burned Harlem to the ground. It took a long time to rebuild, as Harlem grew more slowly than the rest of Manhattan during the late 18th century. After the American Civil War , Harlem experienced an economic boom starting in 1868. The neighborhood continued to serve as a refuge for New Yorkers, but increasingly those coming north were poor and Jewish or Italian. The New York and Harlem Railroad , as well as

9198-496: The most part – well, the artists who failed in one genre and decided to go rock. And I think he knows who he is, but that's another story." At Riot Fest in September 2021, Baker and Slipknot were scheduled to play on the same day and time, albeit on different stages. Baker took the opportunity to respond to Taylor's comments, beginning his set by asking the crew to light the crowd so he could "see who chose to be here instead of with all

9324-438: The music video for another song titled " A Little More " was released, with the single featuring vocals from Victoria Monet . Baker soon had an interview with MTV, describing the reason as to why he wrote "A Little More". Stating in the interview: "People always came up to me after the first album and a lot of my friends back home said 'we need something for the streets' and then I did 'Till I Die'. Months later, when I look back at

9450-453: The old weird dudes with masks." He later insulted the band again by stating, "You wanna know what I'm really happy that I'm not doing? Being 50 years old, wearing a fuckin' weird mask on a fuckin' stage, talking shit." Later on, Baker revealed on Twitter that Taylor was originally meant to feature on "Can't Look Back", a song for the deluxe edition of Tickets to My Downfall , but the collaboration did not come to fruition because Baker thought

9576-481: The percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 48% in Community District 10, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Community District 10 is considered to be gentrifying : according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010. In 2010,

9702-505: The percentage of whites increasing from 1.5% to 6.6% by 2006, and to "almost 10%" by 2010. A renovation of 125th Street and new properties along the thoroughfare also helped to revitalize Harlem. In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem was the focus of the " Harlem Renaissance ", an outpouring of artistic work without precedent in the American Black community. Though Harlem musicians and writers are particularly well remembered,

9828-727: The population of West Harlem was 110,193. West Harlem, consisting of Manhattanville and Hamilton Heights , is predominately Hispanic / Latino, while African Americans make up about a quarter of the West Harlem population. In 2010, the population of East Harlem was 120,000. East Harlem originally formed as a predominantly Italian American neighborhood. The area began its transition from Italian Harlem to Spanish Harlem when Puerto Rican migration began after World War II, though in recent decades, many Dominican , Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants have also settled in East Harlem. East Harlem

9954-428: The population. Harlem's Black population was more concentrated in Central Harlem North, and its White population more concentrated in Central Harlem South, while the Hispanic / Latino population was evenly split. The most significant shifts in the racial composition of Central Harlem between 2000 and 2010 were the White population's increase by 402% (9,067), the Hispanic / Latino population's increase by 43% (7,982), and

10080-412: The post-World War II era, Harlem ceased to be home to a majority of the city's black people, but it remained the cultural and political capital of black New York, and possibly black America. By the 1970s, many of those Harlemites who were able to escape from poverty left the neighborhood in search of better schools and homes, and safer streets. Those who remained were the poorest and least skilled, with

10206-673: The practice of rebranding historically recognized neighborhoods illegal. Politically, central Harlem is in New York's 13th congressional district . It is in the New York State Senate 's 30th district, the New York State Assembly 's 68th and 70th districts, and the New York City Council 's 7th, 8th, and 9th districts. Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that would become Harlem (originally Haarlem)

10332-415: The pressures of a record label or commercial appeal. The absence of formal promotion, industry-standard production, or chart performance makes mixtapes often feature more raw and experimental sounds, which may be preferable to their fans. The value of a mixtape lies in its ability to define the artist rather than an industry standard, making it an important concept in music. Mixtapes can also serve as

10458-480: The proper promotion and radio play that traditional albums offer. Artists may informally promote their mixtapes by posting to their own social media (as opposed to having a management team do it) or by directly engaging with their fans online. For independent and emerging artists, mixtapes are a gateway to building a fanbase and experimenting with their sound. For established artists, mixtapes can be used as an outlet for personal expression and experimentation to escape

10584-402: The rapid decline of physical media such as CDs and cassettes have significantly altered the definition of a mixtape and rendered the physical mixtape obsolete. Today, mixtapes are generally considered an alternative to studio albums, especially in genres of hip-hop, R&B , and indie music. They allow artists to release music without industry-level expectations expected from the likes of

10710-430: The rapper his idol. He also stated that DMX's music helped him through his troubles while growing up, especially bullying. Baker made his film debut in the 2014 romantic drama Beyond the Lights , where he played a "shallow, self-important" rapper named Kid Culprit. In 2016, he co-starred and co-executive produced the drama film The Land , a Cleveland-set drama produced by fellow rapper Nas . The same year, he had

10836-546: The release of her album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't . Many well-known mixtapes are ineligible to be released on streaming platforms due to sample clearance issues or any licensing issues . This has prevented many praised mixtapes from being released on bigger streaming platforms. Examples of mixtapes that aren't available on major streaming platforms for these reasons are Friday Night Lights by J. Cole and Nostalgia, Ultra by Frank Ocean . However, some mixtapes have overcome their sample clearances, granting them

10962-423: The role of Newt in the 2020 superhero film Project Power opposite Jamie Foxx , and the following year, he co-starred with Bruce Willis and Megan Fox in the crime thriller film Midnight in the Switchgrass ; and starred in the action western film The Last Son with Sam Worthington . Baker played the role of "London Clash" in the self-directed film Good Mourning , released in 2022. In his teens, Baker

11088-405: The same artist side by side, unless you’ve done the whole thing in pairs and… oh, there are loads of rules. In the 2000s, mixtapes transitioned from physical media to a synonym for unofficial albums that may have legal issues being officially released. They also became significant to developing artist recognition. Artists like 50 Cent used mixtapes to build their reputation before being signed to

11214-588: The show, he was approached by Sean Combs , who had offered Baker a recording contract with Bad Boy Records , which ran as an imprint of Interscope Records . After Bad Boy parted ways with the label in favor of Epic Records as its distributor in 2015, Baker remained signed with Interscope in a joint venture with Bad Boy. Prior to the contract, he was featured on the XV song "Finally Home". Baker announced that his debut album would be titled Lace Up and would have an intended release on October 9, 2012. " Wild Boy " served as

11340-566: The sixth grade, when he attended Hamilton Middle School, a school with an ethnically diverse student body in Denver. While he lived in Cleveland, Baker attended Shaker Heights High School . The first three rappers that got him into the genre of hip hop as a child were Ludacris , Eminem and DMX , with Baker gaining interest in the genre after listening to DMX's " We Right Here " from the album The Great Depression (2001). After high school, Baker

11466-424: The small population of all other races increased by 4% (142). The entirety of Community District 10, which comprises Central Harlem, had 116,345 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 76.2 years. This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are children and middle-aged adults: 21% are between

11592-457: The song to highlight John Cena in his match at the event, with Baker also performing at WrestleMania prior to the main event between Cena and The Rock . "Invincible" was also used as the theme for Thursday Night Football when it was on the NFL Network . WWE also used the song "All We Have" to again highlight Cena on his rematch with The Rock at next year's event . On December 14, 2011, Baker

11718-634: The south; Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Avenue and Edgecombe Avenue on the west; and the Harlem River on the north. A chain of large linear parks includes Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Park , Jackie Robinson Park , as well as Marcus Garvey Park (also known as Mount Morris Park) which separates this area from East Harlem to the east. Central Harlem includes the Mount Morris Park Historic District . West Harlem ( Manhattanville , Hamilton Heights , and Sugar Hill ) comprises Manhattan Community district 9. The three neighborhoods' area

11844-420: The streaming platform DatPiff introduced the publishing of mixtapes online and for free, which made mixtapes easier to obtain. In 2015, Canadian rapper Drake released his mixtape If You're Reading This It's Too Late significantly muddling the line between mixtapes and albums, setting the precedent that an album-like project could be promoted as a mixtape. The popularization of streaming platforms and

11970-1207: The style of SoHo or NoHo ) in an attempt to accelerate gentrification of the neighborhoods. "SoHa", applied to the area between West 110th and 125th Streets, has become a controversial name. Residents and other critics seeking to prevent this renaming of the area have labelled the SoHa brand as "insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok" and have said that "the rebranding not only places their neighborhood's rich history under erasure but also appears to be intent on attracting new tenants, including students from nearby Columbia University". Multiple New York City politicians have initiated legislative efforts to curtail this practice of neighborhood rebranding, which when successfully introduced in other New York City neighborhoods, have led to increases in rents and real estate values, as well as "shifting demographics". In 2011, U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries attempted but failed to implement legislation "that would punish real estate agents for inventing false neighborhoods and redrawing neighborhood boundaries without city approval." By 2017, New York State Senator Brian Benjamin also worked to render

12096-530: The title of his second album as General Admission , due to be released in late September 2015. In February, Baker appeared at Fastlane , which was hosted at the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland . Baker released " Bad Things " in late 2016, a joint single with Camila Cabello , which has reached a peak of number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. Baker was going to be the opening act on

12222-611: The track accuses Eminem of trying to sideline Baker's career after a comment Baker made in 2012 about Eminem's teenage daughter, Hailie. Baker publicly stated on his Twitter account that on the response track he was "standing up for not just myself, but my generation. [I'm] doing the same shit you did back in your day." "Rap Devil" topped the iTunes Chart on September 10, 2018. On September 14, Eminem responded to "Rap Devil" with his diss track, " Killshot ". On September 21, 2018, Baker released his second extended play (EP), Binge , which had first week sales of 21,519 units and debuted at 24 on

12348-500: The traditional album might stick to one theme, mixtapes have allowed artists to present more diverse music, atypical from the conventional concept album. For example, the debut mixtape Drunken Babble by Kali Uchis was described by GQ as "dreamy R&B vocals with tough-talk rap lyrics, DIY beats, samples and influences spanning soul, reggae , doo-wop and synth-pop ." In an era of short-form content, mixtapes are valuable in that they give room to maintain relevance and adapt to

12474-531: The two, with the caption "I fucked his girl now he looks like me this shit overbearing". In the track "Killshot", Eminem defended G-Eazy and the two ended the feud in April 2019, through what NME described as an "intervention by Eminem". In October 2019, G-Eazy stated that Kid Cudi is the reason why the feud ended. In 2021, Baker engaged in a feud with Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor after being alluded to in an interview where Taylor stated: "I hate all new rock for

12600-403: The underground and commercial appeal of mixtapes together. A notable development in mixtapes at this time was the " chopped and screwed " technique created by DJ Screw in Texas . This technique created a slow-tempo sound for mixtapes, later becoming a staple of Southern hip-hop . Another development of the mixtape were the creations of the remix and the mashup , which gave pre-existing songs

12726-473: The verse was "fucking terrible" and accused Taylor of being bitter about not being featured on the album. Taylor responded to the tweet by sharing screenshots of emails between himself and Travis Barker , producer of Tickets to My Downfall , that showed he was the one who respectfully declined to appear on the track due to creative differences. In response, Baker stated that he had simply wanted Taylor to rewrite his verse, reiterating his previous assertion that it

12852-513: The video [for Till I Die] I [was] like 'Okay, he's in jail, he's shot, he's dead, he snitched' and just to the point where it's sad and I wrote the song to describe how I see the world as a much mature person." He also updated the status on his second studio album, noting that the album is finished, and stating that the album would contain "more lyricism and [would be more] stylistically [influenced by] hip-hop but musically, sonically [would contain] more live instrumentation." On June 25, Baker released

12978-470: The winter, and to keep prices in line with existing rent control regulations. The largest public works projects in Harlem in these years were public housing, with the largest concentration built in East Harlem. Typically, existing structures were torn down and replaced with city-designed and managed properties that would, in theory, present a safer and more pleasant environment than those available from private landlords. Ultimately, community objections halted

13104-467: The words and phrases from the dictionary. He released several editions until 1944, the last being The New Cab Calloway's Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive . Poet Lemn Sissay observed that "Cab Calloway was taking ownership of language for a people who, just a few generations before, had their own languages taken away." Religious life has historically had a strong presence in Black Harlem. The area

13230-575: Was "really bad." Taylor later addressed the feud during a fan Q&A in January 2022 where he claimed that Baker had started it. He went on to insult Baker's change in musical direction and told him to "suck every inch of my dick." In July 2022, Baker admitted in his Life in Pink documentary that he regretted his feud with Taylor and wished that both of them handled the situation better instead of acting "ridiculous". In 2023, Taylor also expressed remorse regarding

13356-524: Was 18 to pursue her. Baker continued the interview by praising other celebrities like Robert Plant and Axl Rose for their relationships with a 14 and 16 year old girl, respectively, prompting commenters to spotlight Baker's past comments about Hailie once again. In response to the backlash, Baker tweeted a quote from Eminem's song, "The Way I Am," furthering the speculation about the controversy rekindling their feud. Eminem declined to comment on either situation, however. Baker's feud with G-Eazy began after

13482-533: Was a renowned venue for swing dancing, and was immortalized in a popular song of the era, " Stompin' at the Savoy ". In the 1920s and 1930s, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues in central Harlem, over 125 entertainment venues were in operation, including speakeasies , cellars, lounges, cafes, taverns, supper clubs, rib joints, theaters, dance halls, and bars and grills. 133rd Street , known as "Swing Street", became known for its cabarets, speakeasies and jazz scene during

13608-457: Was accompanied by the album Audio Up presents: Original Music from Halloween In Hell a soundtrack performed collaboratively by all the actors involved, and written and composed by Jared Gutstadt. Baker directed the music video for Mod Sun's song " Karma ", which was released on November 12, 2020. On November 22, 2020, after his performance at the AMAs , Baker announced his album Tickets to My Downfall

13734-652: Was founded in 1989, and closed with the Boys Choir. From 1967 to 1969, the Harlem Cultural Festival took place in Mount Morris Park . Another name for this festival is "Black Woodstock". Artists like Stevie Wonder , The 5th Dimension , and Gladys Knight performed here. Harlem is also home to the largest African American Day Parade , which celebrates the culture of African diaspora in America. The parade

13860-778: Was founded in 2021 to celebrate cuisine, community, and culture. It is one of the largest night markets in Manhattan . The main attractions include musical performances, arts and crafts shows, and food. Many R&B/Soul groups and artists formed in Harlem. The Main Ingredient , Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers , Black Ivory , Cameo , Keith Sweat , Freddie Jackson , Alyson Williams , Johnny Kemp , Teddy Riley , Dave Wooley , and others got their start in Harlem. Manhattan's contributions to hip-hop stems largely from artists with Harlem roots such as Doug E. Fresh , Big L , Kurtis Blow , The Diplomats , Mase or Immortal Technique . Harlem

13986-485: Was given, I pushed it right back. I couldn't handle it. This was until I experienced the loss of love for what I love doing most: music. That was the one thing worth fighting for, even more-so then[sic] the love of my father. I've found that love again. And I plan on never surrendering it. Find what you love and fight!! Black Flag. Following the release of Black Flag , rumors surfaced that Baker had begun working on his second studio album. In January 2014, he confirmed that he

14112-477: Was going to be turned into a "first of its kind musical film experience" titled Downfalls High which will air in January 2021. On November 30, 2020, Yungblud announced on Twitter he'll be releasing a new collaboration featuring Baker and Travis Barker titled " Acting Like That ". On January 15, 2021, Baker released Downfalls High on his Facebook page followed by a release to YouTube on January 18. Directed by Baker and Mod Sun and narrated by Baker and Barker,

14238-563: Was heavily influenced by ragtime . This style played a very important role in early jazz piano In 1938, jazz bandleader and singer Cab Calloway published the first dictionary by an African-American, Cab Calloway's Cat-ologue: A "Hepster's" Dictionary , which became the official jive language reference book of the New York Public Library . In 1939, Calloway published an accompanying book titled Professor Cab Calloway's Swingformation Bureau , which instructed readers how to apply

14364-448: Was in a relationship with Emma Cannon, with whom he has a daughter, who was born in July 2009. He is open about his use of cannabis and has claimed in interviews that he smokes daily, describing it as a "source of happiness and a way people can feel a little more love [in their own right]". He has frequently mentioned cannabis references within sources of his music and rap persona , making it

14490-471: Was in the early stages of working on the album, with 2015 being the scheduled year of release. On January 5, 2015, Baker released the song " Till I Die ", which was accompanied with a music video on his VEVO account. Months later, a remix of "Till I Die" with hometown fellow hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony was confirmed and released on June 5, 2015. The song aired via WorldStarHipHop and featured French Montana , Yo Gotti and Ray Cash . On May 18, 2015,

14616-464: Was inhabited by a Native American band , the Wecquaesgeek , dubbed Manhattans or Manhattoe by Dutch settlers, who along with other Native Americans, most likely Lenape , occupied the area on a semi-nomadic basis. As many as several hundred farmed the Harlem flatlands. Between 1637 and 1639, a few settlements were established. The settlement of Harlem was formally incorporated in 1660 under

14742-510: Was kicked out by his father. In March 2009, while he was on the verge of getting evicted, Baker traveled to Harlem 's Apollo Theater , where he had consecutive victories, making him the first ever rapper to win at the Apollo Theater. He recorded music in his home studio, which he refers to as the "Rage Cage", and started to gain exposure when he was featured on MTV2 's Sucker Free Freestyle, where he freestyled numerous verses from his "Chip off

14868-623: Was named the Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2011 by MTV. On March 18, 2012, Baker won the MTVu Breaking Woodie award before being featured on the cover of XXL as part of their annual "Top 10 Freshmen list" along with fellow rappers Macklemore , French Montana , Hopsin , Danny Brown , Iggy Azalea , Roscoe Dash , Future , Don Trip and Kid Ink . On August 13, 2012, Baker self-released a mixtape titled EST 4 Life , which contained both old and recently recorded material. Lace Up

14994-416: Was pregnant with his child, following a miscarriage earlier in their relationship. In 2021, Baker reverted back to his birth name, Colson Baker. Baker's feud with Eminem began on May 7, 2012, when he wrote a tweet saying that Eminem's daughter Hailie was "hot as fuck", despite her being 16 at the time. In an interview with WQHT on October 19, 2015, Baker alleged this led to Eminem blacklisting him from

15120-462: Was released on iTunes and accompanied a music video along with the song. It was released via Block Starz Music . The single earned Baker the "Best Midwest Artist" at the 2010 Underground Music Awards and his "Alice in Wonderland" clip won Best Music Video at the 2010 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards. He released his second mixtape in November 2010 titled Lace Up which featured the hometown anthem "Cleveland", which

15246-483: Was released on August 11. On January 30, 2022, he posted a preview of a collaboration with singer Willow titled " Emo Girl ". On August 26, 2021, it was announced that he would star in and co-direct the film Good Mourning , alongside Mod Sun, Dove Cameron , Megan Fox and Becky G . On February 5, 2022, MGK performed during the 2022 NHL All-Star Game halftime show in Las Vegas. On January 31, 2022, he announced that

15372-413: Was released on May 31, 2019. On June 7, 2019, Baker released the third single, " I Think I'm Okay ", with Yungblud and Travis Barker , a pop punk song. Hotel Diablo was released on July 5, 2019. On July 9, 2019, he released the official music video for "Candy" featuring Trippie Redd . He released the final single, " Glass House " featuring Naomi Wild on the same day. The album debuted at number 5 on

15498-493: Was released on October 9, 2012. The album featured guest appearances from Bun B , Cassie , DMX , Ester Dean, Lil Jon , Tech N9ne , Twista , Waka Flocka Flame , Young Jeezy and Dub-O. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 , with first-week sales of 57,000 copies. It slid down to No. 22 in its second week, giving it a total of 65,000 copies sold. As of September 2015, the album has sold 263,000 copies. In early 2012, Baker announced that he would be releasing

15624-535: Was started up in the spring of 1969 with Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. as the Grand Marshal of the first celebration. Arthur Mitchell , a former dancer with the New York City Ballet , established Dance Theatre of Harlem as a school and company of classical ballet and theater training in the late 1960s. The company has toured nationally and internationally. Generations of theater artists have gotten

15750-511: Was then defined as relatively any musical project by an up-and-coming artist. Now, mixtapes have become a label of promotion and marketing for album-like projects. The idea of mixtapes was conceived in the early 1970s with the genesis of hip-hop . In the 1970s, DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five , Afrika Bambaataa , and DJ Hollywood would often distribute recordings of their club performances through cassette tapes, bringing

15876-580: Was then played at Cleveland Cavaliers home games and went on rotation on Z107.9 in Cleveland. The mixtape was recorded in three months in 2010 during a creative burst. Following the release of the mixtape, he was featured in the magazine XXL in 2011. He then appeared on the Juicy J track "Inhale", which also featured Steve-O from the television series Jackass , in the music video. In March 2011, Baker participated in his first SXSW show in Austin, Texas , and at

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