Post Malone has one of the most recognizable stage names in modern music. But how’d he get it? It’s a funny, simple origin story, actually, and one that he told us here at Noisey several years ago.
“My name’s Austin Post. I was looking for a name, ’cause I already had all these songs
done,” Malone recalled in a 2017 Noisey interview. “I was looking for a name, and I couldn’t think of anything. So, I put my name in a rap name generator, and it said ‘Post Malone.’”
“My dad wanted me to go to school really bad, and I just wasn’t digging it. I went to TCC, Taran County Community College, for like two months. I was secretly failing, so I was just like, ‘F**k. This is not good. I’m not good at school. I’m failing. My teachers suck ass. This sucks ass.’”
Suddenly, an opportunity to change his life emerged. One of Malone’s close friends, who was a Gaming YouTuber, revealed that he was moving to Los Angeles. The aimless teen desperately wanted to tag along. “I said, ‘Hey, can I come?’ I don’t have any money. I don’t have nothing. Can I just come? I promise I’ll pay you back.’”
After moving out to L.A., Malone didn’t quite find success or direction overnight. “I was sleeping in my friend’s closet for a little bit,” he recalled. “I always would look through couches and open up Jason’s car and look inside to see if there’s any quarters so I can go buy a pack of cigarettes. Whenever I could get cigarettes, it was sick, but I’d say, ‘How am I going to get money for cigarettes or beer,’ or something. You know? S*** that’s important.”
Malone only gave his parents “two weeks” notice that he had quit school
“I was really heavily into gaming and staying at home,” Malone explained. “I didn’t really go out a lot.” Something eventually changed, though, and the world has video game developer Harmonix to thank. “I really got into music,” he said, “due to my dad and due to Guitar Hero.”
Malone remembered going to a friend’s house and being introduced to Guitar Hero II, which altered his life forever. “I started playing, and I got good,” he asserted. The singer eventually started “to make videos of me f***ing shredding. I put the camera right here on my little flip phone and just shredded the buttons.” Malone then boasted, “I thought I was the s***, so I said, ‘let me pick up a real guitar.’” And the rest is history.
From YouTube to Primetime, Posty’s journey has taken him from sleeping in closets to performing for millions.
On New Year’s Eve, he’ll join artists like Chappell Roan and The All-American Rejects on ABC’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. The special will air Dec. 31 starting at 8 pm ET. It will also be available to stream live on Hulu+ Live TV, YouTube TV, and other services.
The post Watch a Baby-Faced Post Malone Tell His Origin Story, Including the Surprisingly Simple Way He Found His Name appeared first on VICE.
