Rising Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly was handcuffed and led away from SouthPark mall in Strongsville this evening amid a flash mob he organized.
Earlier in the week, Machine Gun Kelly -- whose real name is Colson Baker -- used social media to poll his fans, asking them which suburban Cleveland mall they wanted to gather at.
The rapper ultimately settled on Strongsville, Saturday at 5 p.m.
About that time, someone calling himself machinegunkelly on Twitter posted: "They're kicking out (people with) costumes ... Be normal, I guess? No harm here, we just like fun!"
Not long after that, someone posted a picture of the shirtless rapper -- revealing a huge MGK tattoo across his shoulder blades -- in handcuffs on Twitter. Fans soon posted videos on YouTube showing hundreds of people -- mostly white teens and young adults -- gathered in the mall's food court watching police wrestle with the rapper and chanting "MGK" as officers led him away.
By 6 p.m., fans were posting messages on Machine Gun Kelly's Facebook page seeking his release. Within hours, the rapper posted a message on Twitter saying he and the others were free.
Strongsville police later released a statement saying Machine Gun Kelly and members of his group were charged with midemeanor disorderly conduct.
Police said mall management asked the rappers not to stand on a table near a railing by the second-floor food court. When the members didn't comply, they were taken into custody and charged, the statement said.
There have been peaceful flash mobs at the Strongville mall in recent years featuring dance and song.
But this summer, other suburbs -- including Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights -- have had trouble with rowdy mobs of young people disrupting festivals and events with flash mobs.
Saturday's flash mob appeared to disperse quickly after police spirited away Machine Gun Kelly.
Machine Gun Kelly's stage name is based on his rapid-fire rap delivery. He is a 2008 graduate of Shaker Heights High school and gained national buzz this year following a Midwest tour.
Earlier this month, Machine Gun Kelly signed a recording contract with Bad Boy Records, a major hip-hop label.
If the rapper regretted organizing the flash mob or the charge against him, he didn't express it through Twitter Saturday.
After his release, the rapper posted: "If having fun with my fans ... means I have to get arrested ... then keep (pulling) the cuffs out."
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