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.
