Fans Cheer, Critics Jeer: Why Machine Gun Kelly’s Jingle Ball Dance Moves Went Viral

One side celebrated, the other mocked. Rapper Machine Gun Kelly's (MGK) recent dance moves have set social media ablaze, perfectly dividing the internet. His polarizing performance highlighted a unique ability to energize his loyal fanbase while simultaneously baffling his critics.

The 'Boy Band' Moves That Sparked Debate

The controversy ignited at the iHeartRadio Y100 Jingle Ball on December 20, 2025, held at Miami's Kaseya Center. MGK, 35, whose real name is Colson Baker, took the stage in a white shirt and oversized red pants. Partway through his set, he took off the shirt, and fan-recorded clips of the shirtless performance quickly spread online.

One particular clip gained massive attention, showing him executing basic dance steps while twirling his microphone. A post on X (formerly Twitter) featuring the video was captioned, "Just think… People actually paid to watch this." The mockery snowballed, with comments ranging from "Disney a** choreography" and "6th grade talent show does it better" to "Literally my 6 yr old dances better than this... dresses better too." Some critics poked fun, stating his moves were reminiscent of "boy bands."

Fans Fire Back: "A Great Concert"

Despite the ridicule, MGK’s fans quickly mounted a defense. They shared clips of the rapper interacting with the crowd during "Bloody Valentine," highlighting his energy and stage presence. The very same dance moves drew praise, with fans stating, "That’s…cool tbh," and "those mic twirls are sick."

Supporters challenged critics directly, with one writing, "Aight let’s see you do better. We’ll wait." An attendee confirmed, "I did (pay for it). It was actually a great concert." Fans also defended his professionalism, noting that he continues to perform without succumbing to rock-star stereotypes. As one commenter put it, "He’s making money while you diss him. He’s not f*cked up on Fentanyl somewhere in a backstreet."

The Lingering Shadow of the Eminem Feud

The online debate also resurrected MGK's longstanding feud with rap legend Eminem. Numerous netizens joked that the "boy band" performance was how he "copes from his PTSD that Em gave him." According to PEOPLE, the beef started back in 2012 when MGK posted a now-deleted tweet about Eminem's then-16-year-old daughter. The conflict escalated dramatically in 2018 with a series of diss tracks exchanged between the two artists.