Machine Gun Kelly has hit back at a TikTok user who suggested that he doesn’t play guitar live at his concerts

As E! News reports, a TikToker called Gunnar DüGrey – who claimed that he works at a Guitar Center shop – uploaded a post titled “Machine Gun Kelly EXPOSED” to the video platform last week.

In it, DüGrey shows the viewer the “kill switch” feature on MGK’s signature pink Schecter guitar.

“Flip this in the down position,” he demonstrated in his video, claiming that the function “cuts out all the volume and the music is completely silent”. DüGrey then displayed an image of Kelly performing live onstage with the guitar model in question.

“Exhibit B – he’s definitely playing here. Let’s zoom in,” he told viewers, before showing that the switch is “definitely still in the down position”.

“Surely there’s some [photos] out there where it’s not like that, right?” DüGrey asked before pulling up another gig shot. “Dude…,” he added, letting out a sigh of disappointment.

“I’m not making any definitive claims here, but it certainly seems like [Kelly] doesn’t use [the switch] for much other than muting his guitar while he plays.” You can watch the video below.

@gunnar_dugrey

Machine Gun Kelly EXPOSED JK ProbablyJustACoincidence FYP MachineGunKelly MGK Guitar GuitarDrama Exposed MGKExposed

♬ original sound – Gunnar DüGrey

Taking to his own TikTok profile on Wednesday (March 9), MGK shared a one-minute clip of himself watching DüGrey’s analysis.

“Hold on, one second,” Kelly said, adding that the user had “reversed engineered [the switch] to look like that”. He went on to demonstrate how the instrument is in fact active when the toggle is in a down position.

“I only play my guitar live,” MGK said later. “You should go watch the performance – you can clearly hear it live.”

In a caption, the artist wrote: “This guy flipped the kill switch to the opposite direction for his video. Go buy the guitar and see for yourself. Check out the video below.

@machinegunkelly

#duet with @gunnar_dugrey ??

♬ original sound – Gunnar DüGrey

In response, DüGrey subsequently posted a follow-up clip in which he admits: “I was wrong.” The guitar shop worker explained he hadn’t realised that the “kill switch” could simply be spun around to a different position.

“I did not expect 2.5million people – and MGK himself – to see [the video] so I probably would have done a little bit more research, a little more due diligence had I known that was gonna happen.”

He continued: “So I’d like to formally apologise to Mr Kelly – maybe we could do a shred battle or a collab or something like that if you don’t totally hate me. I think that’d be a lot of fun but…”

DüGrey signed off by putting himself forward for the position of a “backup guitar player” for MGK before showing off his shredding abilities – tune in below.

@gunnar_dugrey

My response to @machinegunkelly #FYP #guitardrama #MGK #machinegunkelly #guitar

♬ original sound – Gunnar DüGrey

Back in November 2021, Machine Gun Kelly’s friend and collaborator Yungblud hit back at similar accusations that he mimed playing the guitar at live shows.

“I will forever back my art and I shouldn’t have to explain myself to anybody but the internet’s full of fucking morons so here we go xoxo,” the singer-songwriter wrote in response to the criticism.

Machine Gun Kelly is due to release two new albums this year, starting with ‘Mainstream Sellout’. His most recent record, ‘Tickets To My Downfall’, came out in September 2020.