On the surface, MGK and Jelly Roll seem like either the unlikeliest duo ever to collaborate or one that makes perfect sense. Both are former rappers turned crossover stars, with Machine Gun Kelly delving into pop-punk and rock on his last handful of releases. Meanwhile, Jelly Roll maintained a solid if not exactly earth-shattering presence on the Tennessee underground before becoming a huge mainstream star with his switch to country.
MGK appears to be following him into that genre, and what better way to bridge that gap than to team up on “Lonely Road” — while channeling folk rock icon John Denver at the same time? “Lonely Road” interpolates Denver’s 1971 staple “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” turning it into a broken-hearted ballad about their respective struggles with self-destruction and loathing.
In the cinematic music video for the song, the duo run a failing auto shop, with MGK turning to a bank heist to dig them out of a hole and self-declared “worst criminal ever” Jelly Roll declining. Although he goes down for his crimes, he does manage to hide the money safely, allowing his partner to solve their money problems. Both artists’ wives, Megan Fox and Bunnie Xo, make appearances as their characters’ significant others.
You can watch the “Kelly Roll” video for “Lonely Road” above.