Rapper's wild Microsoft Store performance triggers police call

A Microsoft Store stirred up more excitement than expected when a rapper's performance got out of hand.

Appearing at Microsoft's Atlanta retail store last Friday, rapper Machine Gun Kelly quickly revved into high gear, jumping on tables filled with desktops and laptops, throwing a promotional sign, and giving the finger to Microsoft employees urging him to get down.

The rapper also let loose a string of expletives at the store staffers and reportedly stomped on five computers before the staff cut off the music and his microphone, according to Web site AllHip.com. Annoyed that his performance was cancelled, MGK at first refused to get down from one of the tables before finally admitting defeat.

Police then helped staffers escort the "music artist" out of the store. The rapper even proudly tweeted a photo of himself giving the finger to the people around him before he said the police kicked him out.

Microsoft told CNET that it didn't sponsor the event, and that the company had offered the store for a private event organized by The Source.

"We offer our stores as a venue for the community to use, and this event was not sponsored by Microsoft," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "While the artist's behavior was appropriate for a concert, some of it was not appropriate in a store environment."

Microsoft often tries to draw the crowds into its stores by offering concerts and celebrity appearances, typically at grand openings. The company's new store in White Plains, N.Y., featured a performance by Lenny Kravitz last Friday.

Microsoft has hired rap stars before. But after the ruckus caused by MGK, the company will probably be more cautious about the acts it lets perform in its stores.

Updated at 2:49 p.m. PT: to include a response from Microsoft, which said it hadn't sponsored the event.

Rapping at a Microsoft Store