The Raw Honesty of “tell me whats up“: mgk / Machine Gun Kelly’s Introspective Anthem
On September 2, 2025, Machine Gun Kelly gave fans a deeper look into his new album, Lost Americana, with the release of the official lyric video for “tell me whats up.”
The song, which also received an official music video directed by Sam Cahill, is a raw and deeply personal track that blends MGK’s genre-fluid style with introspective, confessional lyrics.
It leans into a lo-fi, chill vibe, a departure from his more rock-centric work, yet remains distinctly his own.
Lyrically, the track is a powerful exploration of mental health struggles, addiction, identity, and the relentless pressure of fame.
MGK delivers his emotions with a candidness that has resonated deeply with his fanbase, revealing his innermost thoughts with an almost disarming honesty.
His words, “They told me pick a genre, I picked ’em all / And flow with whatever moves me like I’m swimming,” serve as a testament to his refusal to be confined to a single musical box.
The music video, which combines candid, behind-the-scenes moments with high-energy performance shots, visually reinforces the emotional vulnerability of the song.
As a standout track from Lost Americana, “tell me whats up” has been praised by both fans and critics for its raw honesty and its fearless genre-bending sound, solidifying MGK’s place as a uniquely resilient and evolving artist.
Quotable Lyrics:
I used to ride the Blue line straight from school to work
They robbed me for my Beats by Dre’s on 79th
I was in first grade when I learned how to curse
I got friends that didn’t make it to be twenty-nine
It’s all a simulation anyways
I took LSD for thirty days, X-rays showed holes in my brain
I lost memories, things are different, I lost contact, sky’s the limit
Even with the ability to havе a f**k, I wouldn’t give it
Everyone’s attеntion span too short to be specific
Codependent when I’m isolated
I’m reminded that the voices I silenced are still coexisting
I watched porn and was mad I did it
Went to church, put extra in the collection plate just for sinningYeah, uh, tell me what the f**k’s up
Agoraphobic in this house don’t help much
Yeah, uh, tell me what the f**k’s up
I don’t wanna go out (Uh), everybody sucks (Uh)
Agoraphobic in this house don’t help much (Yeah)
I’m goin’ rogue from the Illuminati theories
About how I’ve been winning
My soul was always prone to new beginnings
They told me, “Pick a genre,” I picked ’em all
But I’m just one of many artists tryna spark a renaissance
Of speaking our thoughts so we can stop pretending
They skipped the body of work because of how I’m dressing
At least my public crucifixion got the message spreading
But then I realized that I like this song more than I like you
I typed a couple pages out that I know I’ll regret sending
So I’ll keep it short, like a haiku, okay
I don’t wanna go out, everybody sucks
Agoraphobic in this house don’t help much
(Wake up like) Yeah, uh, tell me what the f**k’s up
I don’t wanna go out (Uh), everybody sucks (Uh)
Agoraphobic in this house don’t help much
