Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, has invaded the music scene in the
most fascinating way.
After releasing the track "White Iverson" on his SoundCloud account in 2015, he went
from being relatively unknown to making a mad dash to the top of the charts.
Malone's freshman album attempt, Stoney, snagged the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums, solidifying his title as the prince of tracks that are both moody and hedonistic.
You might know his lyrics by heart, but how much do you really know about this musician
who went from sleeping in a closet to becoming besties with Justin Bieber?
A rockstar at heart
Post Malone makes a beeline for the top of the rap and hip-hop charts every time he drops
a new record, so you may be surprised to hear that hip-hop music wasn't always his forte.
According to GQ, he knew he wanted to be a musician by age 12, and at 16, he started
performing with various rock bands around his hometown of Grapevine, Texas.
In high school, his taste in music began to expand, though he continued performing with
different metal and indie bands.
That eclectic appetite shaped his unique sound.
He now has the luxury to mix together all of the genres he loves and the artists who've
inspired him, including the late country western crooner Hank Williams and rapper A$AP Ferg.
A self-taught Guitar Hero
Post Malone was a huge fan of video games growing up, including Guitar Hero – a game
in which players use a guitar-shaped controller to match song notes on screen.
After catching the guitar bug, he began scouring the web for more music tutorials.
He told The Fader:
"I taught myself how to play real guitar off YouTube videos.
Watching people play stuff, like a lot of AC/DC and Metallica.”
Practice has certainly paid off.
It's not uncommon for Malone to grab his guitar while on stage to serenade adoring fans.
He didn’t grow up in a musical family, but Post says that even though his parents wanted
him to pursue a higher education, they supported his move to Los Angeles to start making music.
He told Rolling Stone:
"My dad is my biggest fan, which is cool.
My mom doesn't get it, my mom is crazy.
I love you though."
The struggle was real
One of Post Malone's hometown friends, Jason Probst, gained an online following by streaming
himself playing the video game Minecraft, and eventually moved from Texas to Southern
California to rent a home with other Minecraft players.
Malone decided to tag along — or do some "chilling and freeloading,” in his own words.
Freeloading meant Malone had to rough it for awhile, crashing on couches and even sleeping
in a friend’s closet.
“I always would look through couches and open up Jason’s car and see if there were
any quarters or s**t so I could go buy a pack of cigarettes..”
Luckily for him, being so close to the entertainment industry had its perks.
Within a year, he had finessed his way into a free studio session to record a few tracks,
including "White Iverson."
The rest, as they say, is history.
Olive Garden’s OG
What would you do if you had the hottest song in the country?
Would you purchase some flashy jewelry, plan an island getaway, or just head back into
the studio to attempt to re-create your chart-topping success?
Well, if you're Post Malone, you do none of the above.
When his track "Rockstar" reigned supreme for the latter part of 2017, he told Rolling
Stone that he and longtime girlfriend Ashlen headed to Olive Garden to celebrate.
But don't get it twisted, Malone has since splurged on himself.
He reportedly possesses an extravagant loafer collection, including a pair of $1,700 gold-embroidered
Christian Louboutins, which he proudly described as being "super-ignorant."
Also, if you see a shiny, white, uber-expensive Rolls-Royce Wraith on the streets of Los Angeles,
it's probably Malone behind the wheel.
You know, just casually swaggin' on you.
Weird future
Most people brush off their high school superlatives as nothing more than a snarky, teenage popularity
contest, but Malone's classmates were on the money!
He was voted "Most Likely to Become Famous," and truer words have never been spoken.
Case in point: Check out this cheeky video he filmed during his younger years.
He also told Rolling Stone that while working at a fast food establishment called Chicken
Express in high school, he saved up $800 and blew it all on a pair of, you guessed it,
Versace loafers.
Let your weird flag fly, Posty.
Booze cures all
Every artist has a ritual to get their creative juices flowing.
For Post Malone, his rite includes libations.
Lots and lots of libations.
“I’m a lightweight.
I just drink too much.”
In an interview with Noisey, Post said:
"I usually get ideas for [a beat] and then get drunk, go in the booth, and do melodies
and mumbles and all that good stuff.”
The studio isn't the only place the "Better Now" artist is getting inebriated.
He told Highsnobiety that he's a shy guy, and his pre-show ritual of drinking, or getting
"funky," as he calls it, is the solution.
So, the next time you're at one of his shows, just know there's apparently a 99 percent
chance that he's wasted!
Bunnies and Biebers
After releasing "White Iverson," and "Go Flex," Post Malone was asked to join Justin Bieber's
Purpose World Tour in 2016.
The two became instant friends, which was evident when Bieber randomly FaceTimed Malone
during a podcast interview, and the two proceeded to gush over one another.
“Alright papa, be safe ok.
Get some sleep.
OK, I love you.”
Don't you just adore a good bromance?
It was reportedly Bieber who convinced Malone to get his first tattoo, an image of the iconic
Playboy bunny on his forearm.
As the ink was healing, Bieber "messed up the whole thing" during a game of basketball,
Malone told GQ.
Though Bieber supposedly said, “Sorry,” for smudging his body art, Malone joked that
his pal was would gonna have to buy him a new one.
That's what friends are for.