Post Malone

Post Malone stirs a mix of genres into his own sonic “sauce” that’s both intoxicating and invigorating. “I describe what I do as sauce,” he affirms. “You can turn up to it. You can chill to it. You can do anything to it. It makes you feel some type of way, or it makes you want to party. It just comes naturally.”

Post’s recipe has yielded massive success so far. His breakthrough single “White Iverson” reached RIAA triple-platinum status, captured #1 at Rhythm Radio, and soared to the Top 10 of Urban Radio. To date, he’s cumulatively amassed 200 million streams and counting, garnering 22 million for his 2016 debut mixtape August 26. Meanwhile, his video views surpass 280 million-plus on YouTube/VEVO. These accolades speak to his work ethic, bringing him from humble beginnings in Texas to worldwide superstardom.

The Dallas native grew up listening to his dad’s Metallica, Johnny Cash, UGK, and The Notorious B.I.G. records before trading his Guitar Hero controller for an electric guitar at eleven-years-old. After graduating high school and releasing his first mixtape online, he picked up and headed west to Los Angeles, which would become his current home. Despite “partying too much” and not “having any money for cigarettes or Ramen,” the 19-year-old met production duo FKi and started making music. “I wanted to create something everybody can get down to and get drunk to,” he continues. “People who like hip-hop will like it. People who like folk will dig it. People who like pop will be into it.”

One day, Post created the beat for “White Iverson” in his bedroom, laid down the vocals, and uploaded it to Soundcloud. The response proved overwhelming. Before he knew it, the budding star had Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller tweeting him, Complex, Noisey, The Fader, and Hypebeast singing his praises, 14 incendiary SXSW performances under his belt, and major labels knocking at his door.

In six months of its official release on Republic Records, “White Iverson” first achieved RIAA Platinum status and he went on the road for Fetty Wap’s “Welcome To The Zoo” tour in early 2016. Kanye West and 50 Cent tapped him for high-profile collaborations, and Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, and many others offered enthusiastic co-signs.

The ethereal soundscape of “White Iverson” gives way to a charismatic and catchy declaration for Post. "The first time I got braids I was like ‘I feel like I'm the White Iverson’; I made the beat and recorded it. The vibe was right, and the stars aligned. The song itself is about confidence. I used to be really shy, and I started to develop this new swagger. ‘White Iverson’ was when we knew we had something people would fuck with.”

Building on that momentum, Post has been entrenched in the studio working on more music in between a global tour supporting Justin Bieber. Incorporating not only his inimitable voice but his production and instrumentation, it’s as enigmatic and enthralling as he is. It’s also just the beginning.