Post Malone, the white rapper best known for hits such as “Psycho,” “Rockstar” and “Better Now,” is 24 years young. He was born in Syracuse, NY, and raised in Texas. In the few short years since his debut hit “White Iverson” in 2015, he has established himself as one of the most talented and powerful artists in hip hop.
I’ve been fascinated by Post Malone pretty much since he hit the scene for a bunch of reasons. Number one, he’s a white rapper, which is a rare thing. Number two, he’s 24 years old, so he’s super young, and he debuted “White Iverson” at age 21. Number three, his face is covered with tats, and he looks like a hardcore dude. And number four, even though he looks hardcore, he raps about love and relationships and human beings’ quest to be happy. So suffice to say, he’s interesting.
He’s also been known to live almost exclusively off of Bud Light beer. In one of his songs, “Feeling Whitney,” he brags about having “drunk 80 beers.” And invariably when he’s featured on a TV or radio interview he’s got a trusty can of Bud Light with him.
Which makes you wonder a few things. First, why does he like such shit beer? Is it because he’s from Texas and there aren’t a lot of microbreweries there?
And second, is Budweiser paying him a boatload of money to be out and about in public as their lead alcoholic or something?
Whatever it is, I say Post, if you’re reading this, at least try some Corona (Mexico) or Hefeweisen (Germany) beer. That way you can know what the good stuff really tastes like. I still like your music though, bro, so no worries.
One of the most important and culturally resonant critiques that has been levelled against Post Malone is that he’s a “culture vulture.” Which means that some people, particularly within the African-American community, believe that Post Malone is appropriating black culture in order to enrich himself.
But I believe the question is actually too reductive to even dignify with a response. Are we simply to declare that whites shall not rap, that blacks shall not play rock and roll, that Mexicans shall not play classical music, and so on? I, for one, hope we never reach that cultural nadir, which is why I hope Post Malone continues to make great music for a long time to come.
Perhaps my favorite song and video by Post is entitled “Rockstar.” It’s from 2017. It’s a collaboration between Post and 21 Savage, a young Canadian rapper. The opening stanza by Post might be my favorite of the entire song:
I been fuckin’ hoes and poppin’ pillies
Man I feel just like a Rockstar
Yes, it’s crude, it’s gratuitous, it’s raw, but it also speaks to a carnal dream of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll that many American men still hold onto, over forty years after the idea’s inception in Ian Dury’s 1977 rock song.
There’s one more section of the song that really registers with me. I think it also hits with listeners too. When Post Malone concludes his soliloquy on how he’s living the Rock Star life, there is an immediate cut to Canadian rapper 21 Savage, who oh so smoothly and with a voice like butter sings:
I’ve been in the Hills fuckin’ Superstars
Feelin’ like a pop star
So between Post’s declaration of how he’s sleeping with hoes and popping pills, and Savage’s cry that he’s been in The [Hollywood] Hills sleeping with superstars and feeling like a pop star, we understand that these two young men are living “The Rockstar Life,” for better or for worse. And most of us middle-aged dudes would love to be living this life.
Ultimately, when I reflect on Post Malone and consider his talent, his popularity, his detractors, and his impact on the history of hip-hop, I come to the conclusion that he is one special dude. As a white rapper in a black dominated industry, he’s managed to carve a compelling niche for himself and his listeners that cuts across many demographic groups.
Well done, Post Malone.
Keep on making music and expanding the boundaries of hip-hop.
We’ll be listening.
