When Austin Richard Post first uploaded a lo-fi track called "Why Don't You Love Me" to SoundCloud in 2012, he had no idea it would become the seed of a global phenomenon. But what really caught people off guard wasn’t just the song—it was the name he chose to go by: Post Malone. For years, fans assumed the "Malone" was a nod to NBA legend Karl Malone. Turns out, they were completely wrong. And the truth? It’s way more 2010s internet than sports fandom.
The Real Story Behind the Name
At 14 or 15, while living in Grapevine, Texas, Austin Richard Post—born July 4, 1995, in Syracuse, New York—was tinkering with beats on his laptop between shifts at Chicken Express. He didn’t want to use his real name. Too plain. Too... normal. So he did what any kid with a laptop and a Spotify playlist would do: he went to a random "rap name generator" website. Typed in "Post." Hit generate. Got back "Post Malone." He liked the rhythm. The alliteration. The slight swagger. And that was it.
"It’s literally my last name," he told Rolling Stone in 2017. "I didn’t even think about Karl Malone until people started asking me about it. Then I was like, ‘Oh. That’s why everyone thinks that.’" The rumor had taken root so deeply that even ESPN ran a piece in 2016 speculating whether the Utah Jazz legend had secretly mentored the rising star. Karl Malone himself never commented. But Post Malone? He just laughed.
From Chicken Express to Los Angeles
Austin’s path wasn’t glamorous. His father, Richard Lloyd Post, Jr., a former disc jockey, moved the family to Grapevine, Texas in 2004 after taking a job managing concessions at AT&T Stadium. There, Austin played guitar, got rejected from the band Crown the Empire when his strings snapped mid-audition, and worked nights flipping chicken tenders. At 17, he recorded "Why Don’t You Love Me" as a school project under the alias Leon DeChino. It was a synth-pop parody. He didn’t think anyone would hear it.
Then came the move to Los Angeles. In 2012, after dropping out of Tarrant County College, he packed up with his childhood friend Jason Probst—a game streamer turned producer—and headed west. Together, they co-founded the underground collective BLCKVRD, where they recorded in basements, garages, and rented studios. No label. No plan. Just beats, autotune, and a stubborn belief that genre-blending wasn’t a flaw—it was the point.
The Breakthrough Nobody Saw Coming
On May 12, 2016, Post Malone dropped his first full project: the mixtape August 26th. The title was a placeholder—a date he thought his debut album would drop. It didn’t. But the songs did. "White Iverson" leaked in July. By August, it had over 10 million streams. By October, he was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing "Go Flex." By December, Stoney arrived, featuring "Congratulations" with Quavo and "Go Flex," and the world realized: this wasn’t just another rapper with a guitar. This was something new.
His sound? A messy, beautiful collision of hip-hop, country, rock, and R&B. Critics called it confused. Fans called it honest. He didn’t care. "My mixtape was hip-hop," he told Billboard in 2016. "My album? Hip-hop. My next one? Still hip-hop. Just... with a lot of strings."
Why This Matters Beyond the Name
The myth that Post Malone took his name from Karl Malone wasn’t just wrong—it was revealing. It showed how audiences project meaning onto artists they don’t understand. In a culture obsessed with lineage, legacy, and "realness," fans wanted Post Malone to be part of a story they already knew: the underdog athlete turned icon. But the truth? He’s the underdog kid who typed "Post" into a website and stumbled into superstardom.
His rise reflects a new kind of fame—one built not on industry gatekeepers, but on algorithms, SoundCloud, and the willingness to be weird. He didn’t wait for permission. He didn’t fit a mold. And he didn’t care if you thought his name was dumb. Because it wasn’t. It was his.
What Comes Next?
Post Malone has since sold over 100 million records, headlined Coachella, and collaborated with everyone from Swae Lee on "Sunflower" to 21 Savage on "Rockstar." He’s won Grammys, broken streaming records, and even released a country album. But ask him about his name now? He still smiles. "I’m still Post Malone," he said in a 2023 interview. "And yeah, I still use that generator. Just for fun. Maybe next time I’ll be Post Jenkins. We’ll see."
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Post Malone’s real name become his stage name?
Austin Richard Post kept his real last name, "Post," and added "Malone" after using a random rap name generator at age 14 or 15. He never intended to reference basketball player Karl Malone, despite widespread public assumption. The combination stuck because it sounded catchy and felt authentic to his early music identity.
Where did Post Malone grow up, and how did it influence his music?
Post Malone grew up in Grapevine, Texas, after moving there from Syracuse, New York, at age nine. His father’s background as a DJ exposed him to hip-hop, country, and rock—genres that later fused into his signature sound. Working at Chicken Express and being rejected from a local band taught him resilience, which fueled his DIY approach to music.
What was the significance of the mixtape 'August 26th'?
Released on May 12, 2016, August 26th was Post Malone’s first full-length project and served as a preview for his debut album Stoney. Though the album was delayed, the mixtape’s breakout track "White Iverson" went viral, amassing over 10 million streams in weeks and catching the attention of major labels—proving his genre-bending style had mass appeal.
Did Post Malone ever confirm the Karl Malone rumor?
Yes. In multiple interviews—including with Rolling Stone and Billboard—Post Malone directly debunked the rumor, explaining he’d never been a basketball fan and had no connection to Karl Malone. He said the name came from a website, and the confusion was "hilarious" to him. The myth persists because it’s a more romantic story than a random generator.
What role did Jason Probst play in Post Malone’s career?
Jason Probst, Post Malone’s childhood friend and a professional game streamer, moved with him to Los Angeles in 2012 and helped co-found the music collective BLCKVRD. Probst contributed to early production and provided crucial emotional and logistical support during Post Malone’s transition from college dropout to viral artist.
How did Post Malone’s music challenge industry norms?
At a time when radio and streaming algorithms favored clear genre boundaries, Post Malone blended hip-hop beats with country melodies, rock guitar, and R&B vocals—defying categorization. Labels initially doubted him, but his authenticity resonated with younger audiences. His success proved that genre fluidity isn’t a weakness—it’s the future of pop music.
