Unfamiliar with Post Malone? Well it's time to get acquainted. The Dallas singing rapper just signed a contract with Republic Records based largely in part off the stunning success of his breakout record, "White Iverson," which now has over 30 million plays on soundcloud. Malone is white, but he doesn't play basketball. Like Iverson, though, he shares an aversion toward practice, and he prefers to go straight into the studio for unmeditated, off-the-top recordings.
You may think it silly of Republic to sign Malone off of one hit, but Post has a more than a few other buzzing tracks out right now, and if you dug "White Iverson," you'll likely appreciate their similar vibes -- slow, woozy, ATL-inspired ballads in which Post sings about typical trap motifs as if they were elements of a love song. For starters, check out another athlete-inspired FKi-produced cut, "Holyfield."
Here are 6 essential facts about young Post. Thoughts on his future in the game?
He's being mentored by production duo FKi
Every one of Malone's releases has been produced by FKi, the ATL duo made up of 1st and SauceLordRich, who have produced for Travis Porter, 2 Chainz, and Iggy Azalea (that OG Iggy actually kinda fye). They formed the partnership the first time they heard Post rapping and promised to assist on every step of his grind. They made two songs together the first night they spent in the studio, and the story goes that 1st woke up at 6 AM to find Malone singing -- they didn't know he could sing -- "White Iverson." The rest is history.
Kanye likes his music
Post Malone was selected to perform at Kylie Jenner's 18th birthday party, a pivotal occasion for the young model (and for Tyga). Uncle Kanye also happened to attend the b-day bash, and he, much to Malone's delight, told the "White Iverson" rapper that he liked his music. Now, a Kanye co-sign isn't the holy grail it once was -- just ask almost every young drill rapper in Chicago -- but still, it's a good sign for a rapper who was totally unknown before this year.
He's an introvert
You might be taken back by Malone's on-air personality, as he doesn't speak with the same loose confidence as he conveys on his songs. And that's not to say he's a bumbling nerd or anything -- he seems like a genuinely likable guy. But it is clear that Malone has no interest in backing up his rapping persona with a celebrity exterior.
For that reason, he's an outlier in the hip-hop world, and his unassuming and mild mannered demeanor made him victim to an especially invasive interrogation from outlandish Breakfast Club host Charlamange tha God, who put the white rapper on the spot by asking him what he was doing for the Black Lives Matter movement. Charlamagne and Envy proceeded to bring out Malone's longtime girlfriend on set and clown him for his promised commitment to monogamy.
After he got bullied by Charlamagne, an old Vine surfaced of Malone using the N-word, albeit in playful fashion, thus adding fuel to further accusations of cultural appropriation. Unlike some artists, whose macho pride knows no regrets, Malone made a genuine apology.
Nice guys often finish last in this game, but whereas Malone is timid in on-camera conversation, he holds nothing back in the studio. He clearly uses his music as a transformative outlet, and the results are powerful.
He loves country
Malone hails from Dallas, TX, and though his town has a small but thriving hip-hop scene, I'm sure the genre of choice is good 'ol honky tonky barbecue-stained country. Post only goes for the OG, outlaw stuff, though, as he cites Johnny Cash as his number one influence.
In 2013, Austin Post (his government name) uploaded a video of himself covering Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" while wearing an American flag shirt. We don't know how he got to "White Iverson" in two years, but his artistic progression is certainly interesting. In any case, he plays a mean guitar, which he plans to employ on his upcoming debut album.
Metro Boomin and Sonny Digital will produce tracks on his album
So aside from Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, Malone's favorite artists are Future and Young Thug. Take that for a heady mix. He's clearly inspired by the sound of "new Atlanta," and to prove it, he's enlisted some of the city's top young producers to craft beats for his debut album on Republic Records. Along with heavy contributions from FKi, the project will also feature beats from DS2 exec. Metro Boomin and Sonny Digital, producer of many a banger, such as 2 Chainz' "Birthday Song."
He's inspired by the A$AP movement
The A$AP crew took their inspiration from a town 3.5 hours away from Malone's hometown, and Post has, in turn, been inspired by Rocky and co. He credits Flacko for first getting him into fashion, but his biggest inspiration out of the crew is the late A$AP Yams, to whom Malone dedicated his second biggest hit (so far), "Too Young." Malone will pay visual tribute to Yams in the upcoming "Too Young" video, which was directed by one of the Mob's creative leaders, A$AP Bari.