You ever find a song that feels like a punch to the gut? Not because it’s loud, but because it’s honest. Too honest. That’s "Lead You On." Long before the pink hair, the Travis Barker collaborations, and the Megan Fox headlines, Colson Baker was a kid in Cleveland just trying to survive. If you’re a new fan who hopped on the train during the Tickets to My Downfall era, this track might sound like it’s from another planet.
It basically is.
Released back in 2010 on the Lace Up mixtape—the raw, underground one, not the major label debut—Machine Gun Kelly Lead You On is a window into a dark room most people would rather keep locked. It isn't a love song. Not really. It’s a song about a toxic relationship with a "girl" that isn't a human being at all.
What Lead You On is actually about
Most listeners figure it out halfway through the first verse. The "her" he’s talking about? It’s heroin.
It’s a personification of addiction. Kells writes to the drug like it's a manipulative partner. "I started f***ing with her and all my friends got jealous," he raps. It’s that honeymoon phase of a high where everything else disappears. But then the tone shifts. It gets heavy. He talks about wearing long sleeves to conceal her. We all know what that means.
Honestly, the lyrics are terrifyingly descriptive. He mentions the needle. He mentions the shame.
"Now I'm just a shame wearing long sleeves concealing you / Bitch you wasn't shit how the fuck could you do this / Now my fucking life is ruined I'ma kill you bitch I'm do it."
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It’s desperate. It’s a 20-year-old kid screaming at a chemical because he realizes he’s losing his soul to it. This was the EST (Everyone Stands Together) origin story. It wasn't about being cool; it was about staying alive.
The Cleveland House of Blues performance
There is a legendary live video of this song. If you haven't seen it, go find it on YouTube. It’s from his homecoming show at the House of Blues in Cleveland, circa 2011.
The lights go down. The energy is different. He isn't jumping around like he usually does. He’s almost in the dark, hunched over, rapping with a level of aggression that feels like he might actually break apart on stage. You can see his friends—guys like Slim and Ashleigh—watching from the wings. These are the people who actually saw him through that era.
It’s a hard watch.
Kells has always been an open book, but "Lead You On" is the chapter most people skip because it’s uncomfortable. It doesn't have a catchy pop-punk hook. It doesn't have a flashy music video. It just has the truth.
Why this track still matters in 2026
You might wonder why we're still talking about a mixtape track from 15 years ago. Simple. It’s the blueprint.
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Lately, MGK has been leaning back into his rap roots with songs like "Don't Let Me Go" and "BMXXing." Fans are noticing that the "old Kells" is surfacing again. But to understand the weight of his current sobriety and his growth as a father to Casie, you have to understand where he started.
"Lead You On" is the "before" picture.
- The Struggle: It documents the literal life-and-death stakes of his early career.
- The Metaphor: Using a toxic relationship to describe addiction is a classic trope, but he made it feel visceral.
- The Connection: It’s the reason the EST fan base is so fiercely loyal. They didn't just join for the hits; they joined because they felt he was struggling right alongside them.
Misconceptions about the lyrics
There’s a weird theory floating around TikTok that this song is about a secret ex-girlfriend who "led him on" and broke his heart.
Stop. Just no.
If you listen to the line "so tired of this snake that shit up in my skin," it’s pretty clear he isn't talking about a bad breakup with a girl from high school. He’s talking about the physical act of using. He’s talking about the track marks.
He’s been very vocal in interviews, especially during the Hotel Diablo era, about his past struggles with substances. He isn't hiding it. So, attributing this song to a random girl actually does a disservice to the message. It’s a survival anthem.
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The legacy of the Lace Up mixtape
The Lace Up mixtape was a turning point. It had "Cleveland," "Chip Off The Block," and "Alice in Wonderland." But "Lead You On" provided the emotional weight that proved he wasn't just another fast rapper. He had something to say.
Even now, during his live sets, you might hear a snippet or a reference. The fans who have been there since the beginning—the ones with the Double X tattoos—they know. When he says "Lace Up," it’s a reminder of the time he almost didn't make it out of that basement in Ohio.
What you should do next
If this song resonates with you, or if you're just diving into the deeper MGK discography, here’s how to actually appreciate this era of his work.
First, go listen to the full Lace Up mixtape (the 2010 version, not the 2012 album). It’s raw. It’s unpolished. It’s perfect.
Second, watch the Life in Pink documentary if you haven't already. It connects the dots between the kid who wrote "Lead You On" and the man who almost lost it all again a few years ago. It gives the song a whole new layer of meaning.
Finally, pay attention to the lyrics in his new 2024 and 2025 releases. You’ll hear echoes of this struggle. He’s still fighting those same demons; he’s just better at winning the fight these days.
Don't just stream the hits. Dig into the archives. That’s where the real story is hidden.