Lace Up
by MGK
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
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  1. Rolling Stone
    Nov 16, 2012
    60
    In Machine Gun Kelly, Cleveland finally gets its very own Eminem: a clever, working-class white kid who fires nail-gun rhymes in dense clusters.
  2. Spin
    Nov 12, 2012
    50
    MGK is a talented rapper, but here, on his major label album, he sounds hollow.
  3. XXL
    Oct 25, 2012
    80
    Though he may no longer be quite the underdog he once was, rapping like it--at least for no--still works
  5. AllMusic
    Oct 25, 2012
    80
    The Sean "Diddy" Combs connection adds a little too much gloss to the grime, hanging Lace Up somewhere between the underground intensity that it seems born from and the commercial overexposure that MGK seems bound for.
  6. DJ Booth
    Oct 25, 2012
    70
    Maintaining the same "burn down the building" energy that your most loyal fans demand while not actually burning down the building is no easy task, but it's a fine line that MGK mostly manages to walk with success on Lace Up.
  7. HipHopDX
    Oct 25, 2012
    60
    Lace Up is an imbalanced project that fails to establish MGK's grand message. His debut is decent at best.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 38
  3. Negative: 13 out of 38
  1. brettklassen
    Jan 6, 2013
    10
    Machine Gun Kelly has built a cult-like fan base by making music people can easily relate to. And with this album he continues with thatMachine Gun Kelly has built a cult-like fan base by making music people can easily relate to. And with this album he continues with that trend. Lace Up is a debut album any artist would be proud of.… Full Review »
  2. tonto
    Jul 13, 2021
    8
    This was MGK’s breakthrough album and holds up as one of the better contemporary hip hop albums that has been released this century. MGK’sThis was MGK’s breakthrough album and holds up as one of the better contemporary hip hop albums that has been released this century. MGK’s flow is up-tempo and he has a unique sound to his voice. Production on the album is pretty good with electronic grooves, synths, and some electric guitar licks. MGK handles some of the production himself and enlists a variety of record producers, some of whom are pretty big names. The standout tracks on the album are Wild Boy, Warning Shot, Stereo, Hold On (Shut Up), Lace Up, and D3mons.… Full Review »
  3. Venqo
    May 27, 2019
    8
    The bad things:
    This album was very solid for being his first album. I think the worst thing about this album is the best for save me, it was    The bad things:
    This album was very solid for being his first album. I think the worst thing about this album is the best for save me, it was very simple and I found it very annoying and that his hook on wild boy is a little bit repetitive
    Good things:
    I like the fact that he has a lot of features like tech n9ne has on his albums and that they only have a hook or chorus. And he isn't lyrical God but he is lyrical and he talks a lot about drugs, est side, and depressing things, even tho he wasn't the best storyteller on the album it was still very enjoyable Top 3 songs: wild boy, d3mons, edge of destruction Top 3 worst: save me, lace up, what I do,
    And the 2 last songs isn't bad it just one of my least fav songs. I feel like he is getting to much hate, this was his first album like let him evolve and some people are just giving it 1 because Eminem dissed him and that is just stupid so I wanted to actually make a real review sorry if this review wasn't that good it's my first review ever.    … Full Review »
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