--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I even started listening to rap…" description: "\"Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.\" — Machine Gun Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png" --- # Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really… ![“Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.” quote by Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png) > “Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.” [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kelly notes his early musical influences were metal and punk before rap, showing diverse genre roots shaping his style. **In simple terms:** He started with metal and punk before rap. Key Takeaway Embrace varied musical influences. Themes music identity genre blending Mood creative reflective Type personal musical When to use this quote - songwriting - genre crossover - artist branding Key Concepts cultural studies music history personal development Questions to Reflect On - How do early genres still affect his work? - What benefits arise from cross‑genre experience? A Different Perspective May overstate influence on current sound. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Listening Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-rap-553615/) [Metal Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal-punk-1880589/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rap music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-music/) [Really Metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-metal-4798403/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) ## Related quotes > [I was picked on a lot as a kid because of the way I dressed. Metal and punk music got me through that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/i-was-picked-on-a-lot-as-a-kid-because-of-the-way-i-dressed-metal-and/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Either I'm listening to rap music, getting hyped up to go out and do something, or I'm listening to church music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailey-rhode-baldwin/either-i-m-listening-to-rap-music-getting-hyped-up-to-go-out-and-do/) [Hailey Rhode Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailey-rhode-baldwin/) > [I like to get in my own world. When I'm getting ready for a meet, I always have headphones on, listening to rap music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-like-to-get-in-my-own-world-when-i-m-getting-ready-for-a-meet-i/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [To be honest, my whole life I've always been listening to rap music or reggae.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/to-be-honest-my-whole-life-i-ve-always-been-listening-to-rap-music-or/) [Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/) > [I started listening to rap music in 2012 or something, because that was when I started becoming friends with American people, and they showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-started-listening-to-rap-music-in-2012-or-something-because-that/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [People in my family and camp who grew up listening to rap music love 'We Are Young.' I've heard it play at weddings. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/people-in-my-family-and-camp-who-grew-up-listening-to-rap-music-love/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [When I started listening to rap music, I loved the fact that there were stories being told in 16 bars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/badshah/when-i-started-listening-to-rap-music-i-loved-the-fact-that-there/) [Badshah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/badshah/) > [I have to stop listening to rap music. It's a bad influence on my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-to-stop-listening-to-rap-music-it-s-a-bad-influence-on-my-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is, we wanted to make a record that reflected our love of Hard-Rock music and it is sort of Metal though we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rich/it-is-we-wanted-to-make-a-record-that-reflected-our-love-of-hard-rock/) [Adam Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rich/) > [I was really into metal when I was growing up. It was just something I thought I could do and wanted to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/i-was-really-into-metal-when-i-was-growing-up-it-was-just-something-i/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Heavy metal is the enemy. Everybody but me keeps going back and forth between metal and punk, but I'm narrow-minded and a purist. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-shattuck/heavy-metal-is-the-enemy-everybody-but-me-keeps-going-back-and-forth/) [Kim Shattuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-shattuck/) > [I was a fan of heavy music - first metal, then punk, then hip hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-was-a-fan-of-heavy-music-first-metal-then-punk-then-hip-hop/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [“...raucous heavy metal of punk guitars screeching like robots put to the rack...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/raucous-heavy-metal-of-punk-guitars-screeching-like-robots-put-to-the/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [During our first year, we were playing Priest and Maiden cover tunes all the time while we figured out what we wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/during-our-first-year-we-were-playing-priest-and-maiden-cover-tunes/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [As a late teenager, the punk movement pushed me further. In particular, the Clash, which happened to leak through the time of disco, showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/as-a-late-teenager-the-punk-movement-pushed-me-further-in-particular/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) ## More by Machine Gun Kelly > [Everything is my fault when you're me. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/everything-is-my-fault-when-you-re-me-i-don-t-know-why/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Everybody know I, do it Yall thought he was gone right? Y'all thought it was over Let me tell yall something though When he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/everybody-know-i-do-it-yall-thought-he-was-gone-right-y-all-thought/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Whoever woulda thought that the little mother fucker from the land woulda' came up and made them stacks. Never was warm in the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/whoever-woulda-thought-that-the-little-mother-fucker-from-the-land/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [I'd say I did a lot of what I did with songs like 'At My Best' was because of the influence of my daughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/i-d-say-i-did-a-lot-of-what-i-did-with-songs-like-at-my-best-was/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Tatted up. No shirt, still got sleeves. & I'm good from the Heights to 116th.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/tatted-up-no-shirt-still-got-sleeves-i-m-good-from-the-heights-to/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [There's something about America's sweetheart and America's bad boy. That juxtaposition is what everyone desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/there-s-something-about-america-s-sweetheart-and-america-s-bad-boy/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [As I was coming up, there was so much naysaying, there was so much doubt, whether it was from my peers or people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/as-i-was-coming-up-there-was-so-much-naysaying-there-was-so-much/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Drank until I get pissy bitch, smoke until I get dizzy bitch. Lose control like Missy but I'm a bad boy cause I'm with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/drank-until-i-get-pissy-bitch-smoke-until-i-get-dizzy-bitch-lose/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [I was picked on a lot as a kid because of the way I dressed. Metal and punk music got me through that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/i-was-picked-on-a-lot-as-a-kid-because-of-the-way-i-dressed-metal-and/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Matter fact see me in a ride so foreign you can't understand six feet hittin six G's here with the 3 so come catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/matter-fact-see-me-in-a-ride-so-foreign-you-can-t-understand-six-feet/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [To be considered for the hottest breakthrough MC of 2011, it's obviously an honor, but I want to be the hottest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/to-be-considered-for-the-hottest-breakthrough-mc-of-2011-it-s/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Motherfuckers though I wasn't living. Daddy thought I never could've did it. Now my hood see that Wahoo fitted on the TV screen next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/motherfuckers-though-i-wasn-t-living-daddy-thought-i-never-could-ve/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Man east side right here did crime right here blood, sweat tears I cried right here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/man-east-side-right-here-did-crime-right-here-blood-sweat-tears-i/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Everyone in our clique rocks a black bandana with the print 'EST 19XX' on them 24/7. As the underdog, you are expected to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/everyone-in-our-clique-rocks-a-black-bandana-with-the-print-est-19xx/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Hell and back aint no trip for me. Please Satan dont hold me back. God said this aint it for me. But these haters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/hell-and-back-aint-no-trip-for-me-please-satan-dont-hold-me-back-god/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) [Explore all 163 Machine Gun Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) ## More Listening quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [“The only problem is the heart is quiet. It takes a very special kind of person to hear what the heart says. Most can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-palmieri/the-only-problem-is-the-heart-is-quiet-it-takes-a-very-special-kind/) [Suzanne Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-palmieri/) > [“Listening isn't just about being quiet. It's about listening to what is said, what is unsaid, and what is meant with your eyes, ears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani-wordions/listening-isn-t-just-about-being-quiet-it-s-about-listening-to-what/) [Drishti Bablani, Wordions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani-wordions/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [ He \[ the son\]'s grown up listening to all types of music, and the natural form of rebellion is to find the one genre… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-knowles/he-the-son-s-grown-up-listening-to-all-types-of-music-and-the-natural/) [Solange Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-knowles/) > [“Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-burke-peterson/listening-is-an-essential-part-of-praying-answers-from-the-lord-come/) [H. Burke Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-burke-peterson/) > [Getting older doesn't help you in the fact that you might have covered some of this ground before. So you're listening to a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/getting-older-doesn-t-help-you-in-the-fact-that-you-might-have/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 6,237 Listening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Machine Gun Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-music-i-was-really-into-metal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Listening" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-music-i-was-really-into-metal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/859/machine-gun-kelly-2504_listening_before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-m_1383251.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before I even started listening to rap music, I was really into metal and punk.” — Machine Gun Kelly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Machine Gun Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Before I even started listening to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-music-i-was-really-into-metal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/before-i-even-started-listening-to-rap-music-i-was-really-into-metal/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```