- I'm gonna show you how to write a Post Malone song.
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪
Like, I know this is a generalization really.
I'm really pointing to maybe four songs,
White Iverson, Rockstar,
Psycho, Congratulations,
finding some common technical things about it,
tonal things, lyrical themes, and then being like, okay,
that's what makes a Post Malone song.
You can kinda break it down very simply.
Trap beat, 808, BPM 120 to 160.
We've got a dreamy synth or samples with seventh chords.
Then we've got the vocals.
Let's get a trap beat going with the 808s.
(trap beat music)
Those four songs, they have two chords.
♪ And I feel just like a rockstar ♪
- With seventh chords.
♪ Watch out, yeah ♪
♪ That's my shot, that's my shot ♪
♪ Worked so hard, forgot how to vacation ♪
♪ All this jewelry on you ♪
♪ My roof look like a no-show, got diamonds by the ♪
- So I'm gonna try to use two chords
for the foundation of the song.
I'm gonna go with A major seventh
to the minor inversion F sharp minor seventh.
Okay, vocals.
Some melodic rapping.
Now the hooks, usually three or four notes.
("White Iverson" by Post Malone)
(man vocalizing)
All of these things are kind of elements
that you'd find in a lot other pop songs.
Like, what gives Post Malone his special flavor
is that there's usually some sort of subtext of sadness.
Even like Rockstar,
he's talking about (bleep) hoes, popping pillies,
but melodically sounds like he's not very happy
and I think that is the Post Malone sauce right there.
I'm gonna write about being always tired.
I'm always tired, I can relate.
Post Malone has always tired tattooed on his face.
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪
I keep doing this pointing thing
and it's really (bleep) corny but I can't help it.
It's like an involuntary reaction to rapping
because I don't rap often
and it helps me rap when I do this.
♪ I'm tired but I'm headed to the show now ♪
Okay, I'm gonna use the word hoe.
Hoe isn't really in my daily vocabulary.
♪ Always tired but I'm with them hoes ♪
I'm gonna use some drug references.
♪ They only want me for my money and my snow ♪
Got a lot of pop culture references.
He references Michael Scott.
He uses a lot of slang.
♪ Weird flex but that's okay ♪
♪ Gucci belt 'cause I'm supreme ♪
♪ Gotta press F for that champagne ♪
♪ Don't step on my 2-3s ♪
I'm gonna reference Kurt Cobain,
not just for a rhyme, but also I'm a fan of Nirvana.
Post Malone's known to cover Nirvana.
♪ They say I'm going Cobain ♪
♪ Naw, I'm out here making that wealth ♪
There's also a history of referencing
Kurt Cobain in hip hop.
He's kind of a cultural touchstone for a tragic figure
and obviously a reference to suicide or depression.
(acoustic guitar music)
Post Malone loves using an acoustic guitar
when he has a chance,
so let's try out some acoustic guitar.
(acoustic guitar music)
♪ My flow is habit ♪
♪ I'm like a rabbit ♪
♪ These tricks is nasty ♪
♪ You think you're past it ♪
♪ But I keep lasting ♪
I think I captured some of that Post Malone sound.
My raps aren't as tight as his.
I'm not a rapper and some of the rizzums
that I use are a little bit contrived like,
♪ 120 on the 101 double shifting in my lambo ♪
Some of those 16th notes
I don't think Post Malone would use in a song
because they sound kind of awkward
and like fake reggae.
I think it sounds like a contemporary pop song
and if you heard it on the radio,
you'd think that (bleep) is trying to copy Post Malone.
Yeah, so here it is.
(calm hip hop music)
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪
♪ I'm tired but I'm headed to the show now ♪
♪ Six milli in the Cayman Islands in case I gotta skip town ♪
♪ Nine milli in the clutch in case I gotta throw down ♪
♪ I know I told you I did it for the money ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to hug me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to love me ♪
♪ Always tired but I'm with them hoes ♪
♪ They only want me for my money and my snow ♪
♪ 120 on the 101 double shifting in my lambo ♪
♪ Dripping and flexing ♪
♪ No fading ♪
♪ Never take it slow ♪
♪ I think I'm killing the game ♪
♪ You think I'm killing myself ♪
♪ They say I'm going Cobain ♪
♪ Naw, I'm out here making that wealth ♪
♪ I been up drinking all night ♪
♪ Somebody give me a light ♪
♪ Feeling like something ain't right ♪
♪ Hand me the Pedialyte ♪
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪
♪ I'm tired but I'm headed to the show now ♪
♪ Six milli in the Cayman Islands in case I gotta skip town ♪
♪ 9 milli in the clutch in case I gotta throw down ♪
♪ I know I told you I did it for the money ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to hug me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to love me ♪
♪ Weird flex but that's okay ♪
♪ Gucci belt 'cause I'm supreme ♪
♪ Gotta press F for that champagne ♪
♪ Don't step on my 2-3s ♪
♪ Gotta drink more 'cause I can't think ♪
♪ Do drug 'cause I'm fading ♪
♪ Gotta text you 'cause I'm jaded ♪
♪ Sleep is weak so I don't sleep ♪
♪ My flow is habit ♪
♪ I'm like a rabbit ♪
♪ These tricks is nasty ♪
♪ You think you're past it ♪
♪ But I keep lasting ♪
♪ My is blasting ♪
♪ Tell me your passion ♪
♪ I think you're smashing ♪
♪ Let's get to smashing ♪
(acoustic guitar music)
♪ Maybe I'll smoke one more cigarette ♪
♪ Before I go to bed ♪
♪ I'll sleep when I'm dead ♪
♪ Maybe I'll call but I'm tired ♪
♪ Can't get you out of my head ♪
♪ I'll sleep when I'm dead ♪
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪
♪ I'm tired but I'm headed to the show now ♪
♪ Six milli in the Cayman Islands in case I gotta skip town ♪
♪ 9 milli in the clutch in case I gotta throw down ♪
♪ I know I told you I did it for the money ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to hug me ♪
♪ I'm just doing this to get you to love me ♪
(calm hip hop music)
♪ Always tired but I'm never gonna slow down ♪