Machine Gun Kelly recently shared details about a recording session with Mike Shinoda that was originally intended to feature Chester Bennington. He spoke about the experience on the Garza Podcast.
The rapper revealed how the collaboration came about during Linkin Park’s final tour. He explained what happened when Chester was supposed to join the session.
“Mike Shinoda, dude, he was always just a big fan of my raps. So he would pull up into the studio on me and like listen to records,” MGK said. “I remember one time when we were on tour, we were in Berlin and I had opened for Linkin Park and Shinoda booked a studio.”
“He was like come through like let’s make music and we went and we made a song for Shinoda’s solo album [Post Traumatic] and he was like, ‘Oh, let me call Chester see if he’ll come,’ and like he can get on the hook,” he continued. “And Chester didn’t show up and instead Chino [Moreno, Deftones frontman] got on the hook. It’s on Shinoda’s album.”
MGK expressed his excitement about working with both artists on the track “Lift Off.”
“And just getting to be on a record with Chino. Like also one of my favorite frontmen ever, you know? If you talk about guitar riffs, dude. Like ‘Lift Off,’ man, vibes, dude,” he said. “And Shinoda is just a musical genius, dude. Just made all this from scratch. I was souped up on Aderall. Of course you were. Cuz I was like, ‘I’m going to deliver the best verse I possibly can for this.’ Like, I’m in with my goats, you know. I’m not only a massive Linkin Park fan, but was a massive Shinoda fan as well.”
The song “Lift Off” ultimately appeared on Shinoda’s 2018 solo album “Post Traumatic.” It featured MGK and Chino Moreno instead of the originally planned Chester Bennington collaboration.
This recording session took place during a particularly significant period in Linkin Park’s history. It occurred during what would become the band’s final tour before Chester Bennington’s tragic death.
Wikipedia reported that Mike Shinoda’s “Post Traumatic” was released on July 13, 2018, via Warner Bros. Records. The album featured collaborations with artists like Blackbear, K.Flay, and Chino Moreno. It ultimately debuted at number one on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart. The album represented a deeply personal project for Shinoda, who created it as a therapeutic response to processing grief and loss.
The timing of this collaboration becomes even more poignant when considering the circumstances. Wikipedia noted that Chester Bennington’s suicide on July 20, 2017, profoundly influenced “Post Traumatic.” Shinoda divided the album into pre- and post-death sections reflecting his processing of the loss. This context adds weight to MGK’s revelation that Chester was supposed to participate in the session but didn’t show up. It makes this one of the last potential collaborations that could have featured the late Linkin Park frontman.
The track “Lift Off” itself became a standout collaboration on the album. Genius documented that “Lift Off” features MGK on verses and Chino Moreno on the chorus. Mike Shinoda and Esjay produced the track, blending hip-hop and alternative rock elements in a song about overcoming personal struggles. The song showcases the creative chemistry between the three artists, with MGK’s rapid-fire delivery complementing Moreno’s distinctive vocal style.
The collaboration highlighted the mutual respect between MGK and Shinoda. The Linkin Park co-founder recognized the rapper’s talent early in his career. This working relationship would prove to be one of the meaningful connections MGK formed during his rise in the music industry. It demonstrates how cross-genre collaborations can create unexpected and powerful musical moments.
