CLEVELAND — Machine Gun Kelly was a surprise guest at Shaker Heights High School’s homecoming dance. The grammy-nominated artist is a Shaker Heights High School alum.

Morgan Delong, a senior at Shaker Heights, said it was so awesome having him there.

What You Need To Know

  • Machine Gun Kelly surprised students at Shaker Heights High School's homecoming dance

  • MGK attended Shaker Heights High School and graduated in 2008

  • He has been back before and has even donated money to fund a recording studio in the school

“I had no clue that it was going to happen, but then walking into the gym and seeing everyone so excited, it was honestly amazing, like I don’t think people are going to forget this,” she said.

Eric Juli, the principal of Shaker Heights High School, was also in the dark about MGK’s surprise until about an hour into the dance. Juli said he received a phone call that the artist and his team were going to stop by.

“We had about 1,000 kids in the north gym for the dance, so it was packed and loud and everyone was ecstatic that we had a celebrity on hand,” he said.

This wasn’t the singer-songwriter’s first time home. Juli explained that MGK is gracious about his willingness to come back to his alma mater.

“He’s donated a large dollar amount to us and we’re putting in a recording studio in the library with those funds,” he said.

Juli expressed that it seems like MGK feels a connection to the Shaker Heights community.

“There’s certainly a sense of pride that we all have living here, working here, attending this school and that comes through when our alumni want to come back,” he said.