Colson Baker, the guy the world knows as Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), has spent a decade screaming his trauma into microphones. If you've listened to even a handful of his tracks—especially the raw, bleeding-heart rock era of Tickets to My Downfall—you know the name Errol Carter Kelly. Or at least, you know the shadow he cast. Errol wasn't a celebrity. He wasn't a rockstar. Honestly, he was a man who lived a life defined by missionary work, intense religious convictions, and a deeply fractured relationship with his son.
The story of errol carter kelly father to one of the biggest names in modern music isn't a "happily ever after" tale. It's a messy, complicated, and often heartbreaking look at how generational trauma and strict upbringing can create a massive rift between a parent and child.
The Denver Years and the Missionary Life
Errol wasn't always the "villain" fans might imagine from MGK's lyrics. He was a missionary. Before settling in Denver, Colorado, the family moved constantly. We're talking Egypt, Germany, the works. This wasn't a vacation lifestyle. It was rigorous. Errol was a man of deep, perhaps even rigid, faith.
When Colson’s mother left the family when the boy was only nine, the world essentially collapsed for both Errol and his son. Imagine that for a second. You’re a man of God, your wife leaves, and you’re left to raise a son who is increasingly becoming everything you don’t understand. Errol reportedly struggled with depression and unemployment. The Denver house wasn't a home filled with music and laughter; it was a place of silence and, according to Colson, a fair amount of volatile emotion.
Colson has spoken openly about being "bullied" by his father. It’s a heavy word. In the documentary Life in Pink, the singer describes a household where he felt he had to walk on eggshells. Errol was a man who valued discipline and tradition, while his son was a skinny kid with a stutter who just wanted to rap. They were two different species living under one roof.
The Great Divide: Religion vs. Rock and Roll
Let’s talk about the disconnect. It’s the classic "preacher's kid" trope, but dialed up to eleven. Errol Carter Kelly was a man who, by all accounts, took his religious tenets seriously. Then you have Colson, who started dyeing his hair, getting tattoos, and screaming about rebellion.
You can see why they didn't get along.
Basically, Errol didn't "get" the music. For a long time, he didn't support it. There’s a specific kind of pain that comes from being a global superstar and still feeling like your dad thinks you're a failure. MGK has mentioned in interviews that his father would often focus on the negative, the controversy, and the lifestyle rather than the art or the success. It’s a dynamic many people recognize in their own lives—that desperate need for approval from a parent who speaks a completely different emotional language.
Honestly, the relationship was a tug-of-war.
Colson would try to reach out; Errol would pull back. Or Errol would try to connect, and Colson, already scarred by the past, would put up his guards. It’s a cycle. A brutal one. Yet, despite the yelling and the years of estrangement, there was a tether there that never quite snapped.
The Turning Point: July 2020
The world changed for Machine Gun Kelly on July 5, 2020. This was the day Errol Carter Kelly passed away.
It happened on the one-year anniversary of the release of Hotel Diablo, an album that featured a lot of the pain caused by their relationship. The irony is thick and bitter. MGK was at a career high, finally finding his footing in the pop-punk world, and then the man who represented his greatest internal struggle was gone.
The death happened in a Denver hospital. Because of the timing—smack in the middle of the pandemic—it was a logistical and emotional nightmare. Colson has described the experience of being at his father's bedside, trying to find some semblance of peace before the end.
What really happened in those final moments?
It wasn't a movie scene. There wasn't a magical speech where all was forgiven. But there was a shift. Colson has noted that in his father's final days, the animosity started to melt away into something else. Grief does that. It strips away the ego. He realized that Errol was just a man—flawed, hurting, and perhaps carrying his own weight of expectations he could never meet.
How Errol's Legacy Shaped the Music
If you want to understand the impact of errol carter kelly father on MGK's career, you have to listen to the lyrics. You have to look at the song "Lonely." It’s a direct address to his father. He talks about the "lonely" feeling of being in that house in Denver. He talks about the shame and the silence.
"Hey, if you're up there and you're lookin' down / I hope I'm someone you can be proud of now."
That line tells you everything you need to know. Even after the platinum records, even after the fame, Colson Baker was still just a son looking for a "good job" from his dad.
The death of Errol was a catalyst for MGK's sobriety journey, too. He’s been vocal about how losing his father made him realize he didn't want to leave his own daughter, Casie, with the same kind of "unfinished business" and trauma he had to navigate. He chose to break the chain.
Misconceptions About Errol Kelly
People often paint Errol as a one-dimensional villain because of MGK’s lyrics. That’s a mistake. Life is rarely that simple.
- The "Hater" Myth: Many fans think Errol hated his son. By the end, that wasn't true. He reportedly had photos of Colson and his granddaughter around his space. He was proud, even if he didn't know how to say it.
- The Abandonment Narrative: While Colson's mother left, Errol stayed. He was a single father in a time when that wasn't as common, struggling with his mental health while trying to provide. He wasn't perfect, but he was there.
- The Financial Side: There’s a misconception that MGK came from money because of the missionary travels. In reality, they struggled significantly in Denver. Errol's unemployment was a major stressor that fueled the tension in the home.
The Actionable Insight: Moving Past Parental Trauma
Whether you're a fan of the music or just someone looking into the history of errol carter kelly father, there is a massive lesson here about reconciliation and boundaries.
If you are dealing with a difficult parental relationship, take a page out of the messy, real-life playbook of the Kelly family.
First, acknowledge the human. It’s easy to see a parent as an obstacle. It’s harder to see them as a person who was once a child, who had their own dreams crushed, and who might be operating out of fear rather than malice. Errol was a product of his upbringing and his faith.
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Second, understand that "closure" is a myth. You don't always get the big apology. MGK didn't get a 20-page letter explaining everything. He got a few final days in a hospital room. Sometimes, peace comes from accepting that the other person will never fully understand you—and being okay with that.
Third, break the cycle. The most powerful thing Colson Baker did wasn't becoming a rockstar; it was deciding to be a different kind of father to Casie. He used the "how-not-to" guide he learned from Errol to create a "how-to" guide for the next generation.
To really process this, look into the concept of Ancestral Burden. It’s a psychological term for the trauma we inherit. Errol likely carried burdens from his own father that he unknowingly passed to Colson. Recognizing those patterns is the only way to stop them from moving forward.
Take a moment to look at your own "inherited" traits—the good and the bad. If there's a rift, decide if it's worth mending for your peace, not theirs. You don't have to wait for a hospital room to start the process of letting go.
The story of Errol Carter Kelly isn't just about a celebrity's dad. It’s a reminder that we are all just people trying to figure it out, often failing, but always leaving a mark on those we leave behind. Colson's journey shows that while you can't change your father, you can absolutely change the man you become in his wake.
Next Steps for Deeper Understanding:
- Watch the documentary Life in Pink (2022) for raw footage of Colson discussing these events.
- Listen to the tracks "Lonely" and "Glass House" to hear the lyrical evolution of this relationship.
- Research "Intergenerational Trauma" to understand why these patterns repeat in families like the Kellys.