Was Post Malone Ever Really A Rapper?

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Getty Image/Merle Cooper

This Friday, chameleonic pop star Post Malone is releasing his first-ever country album, F-1 Trillion. While his output from this project has so far — singles such as the Blake Shelton-featuring “Pour Me A Drink,” the Morgan Wallen collab “I Had Some Help,” and “Guy For That” with Luke Combs — been fairly warmly received, there are some listeners who have regarded (rightly, it must be said) the Dallas singer’s swing from hip-hop-courting crooner to burgeoning country star with skepticism. The ease and speed with which he’s made this pivot begs the question: Was Post Malone ever really a rapper to begin with?

After all, in the minds of many music fans, his genre turn only culminates the character arc some of us predicted from the very first moment he stepped into the spotlight, with 2015’s “White Iverson.” Remember Posty’s “White Iverson” era, when he was adorned with all the accoutrements of a rapper, from cornrows and gold grills to lingo that suggested he’d be more likely to be seen at the local lowrider show than a Texas rodeo? Back then, he fielded all sorts of accusations of cultural appropriation, which only strengthened defenses for his right to present himself however he felt most comfortable. And now, he alternates cowboy and trucker hats, sports plaid button-ups and dungarees, and even threw on a bolo tie at the CMAs.

We want to be sensitive and fair here. Post recently admitted that early categorizations as a “culture vulture” had a negative impact on him, and out of respect for that, we can’t cast aspersions on his intentions with “White Iverson” and Stoney-era follow-ups like “Congratulations” (featuring Quavo), “Rockstar” (featuring 21 Savage), or “Psycho” (featuring Ty Dolla Sign). But it’s hard not to look at Post Malone’s early output and image and compare them to his five-year evolution from the sort of artist who’d unironically brag, “I’m with some white girls and they lovin’ the coca,” to the time-honored tradition of comparing the repair of a broken heart to fixin’ up a pick-up truck.

It’s especially difficult in light of those comments he once made about hip-hop. “If you’re looking for lyrics, if you’re looking to cry, if you’re looking to think about life, don’t listen to hip-hop,” he told a Polish outlet during a 2017 interview. “There are great hip-hop songs where they talk about life and they spit that real sh*t, but right now, there’s not a lot of people talking about real sh*t. Whenever I want to cry, whenever I want to sit down and have a nice cry, I’ll listen to some Bob Dylan.” While he later posited the soundbite was taken out of context, the damage had been done; he was considered a hip-hop outsider who only used the culture to gain a foothold on the spotlight and discarded it as readily as he was accepted into the culture by collaborators like Young Thug, Travis Scott, Roddy Ricch, and those mentioned above.

It has been seven years since those comments, and it’d be fair to allow for growth of both his worldview and his taste in music. But maybe he never should have been considered a rapper in the first place, just because he had braids and a song comparing himself to a hip-hop icon. When you look at songs like “White Iverson,” it’s not like he was out here quoting Rakim or giving J. Cole a run for his money. Hell, there are so-called “mumble rappers” with more cohesive verses than the clump of strung-together clichés that comprise “White Iverson”‘s most rapperly bars, which are mostly delivered in a singsong hum — he’s always been more of a “singer whose lyrics are informed by rap” than a stand-up rapper.

Complicating matters is Post’s acceptance into the country world, with so many co-signs from country stars up to and including the queen herself, Dolly Parton, where artists like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X were held at arm’s length. Even Beyoncé’s supposed overture to the country establishment, Cowboy Carter, was met with pushback that we never really saw for Post Malone; “Texas Hold ‘Em” was initially rejected from country radio playlists, while “I Had Some Help” was readily accepted (whether this was due to the inclusion of Morgan Wallen is impossible to determine, but sonically, there was just no argument for the reluctance to include “Texas Hold ‘Em”). For what it’s worth, Dolly popped up on Beyoncé’s album too, even granting her permission to remake her signature song, “Jolene,” so that’s not to say that Bey was entirely rejected by country’s gatekeepers.

But Beyoncé undoubtedly had a harder time being accepted into country music’s hallowed halls than Posty had in either hip-hop or country — and this despite not really being much of a rapper in the first place. We shouldn’t begrudge any artist expressing themselves how they see fit, whether that’s leaving the box we’ve designed for them or jumping into a new one. But maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to classify them in the first place. Beyoncé could just be a singer, not a pop one, not an R&B one, but a singer capable of creating in any genre. And maybe, if we’re going to let some rappers cross over more easily than others, we need more stringent standards on just what constitutes a rapper in the first place.

WATCH: Allen Iverson Salutes Post Malone After “White Iverson” Collections One Billion Spotify Streams

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Allen Iverson has nothing but love to give. Superstar Post Malone recently joined the Spotify Billions Club as his single, “White Iverson,” crossed the billion stream threshold. With this achievement, AI delivered a special message to Posty.

“Congrats on 1 billion Spotify streams,” Iverson said. “The whole world loves this song and I’m honored to be a part of it. Keep that same form, Post.”

The single was most streamed in Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne, London, and Houston and has been added to over 23 million playlists. You can see a special presentation for Spotify, including The Answer below.

The post WATCH: Allen Iverson Salutes Post Malone After “White Iverson” Collections One Billion Spotify Streams first appeared on The Source.

The post WATCH: Allen Iverson Salutes Post Malone After “White Iverson” Collections One Billion Spotify Streams appeared first on The Source.

Allen Iverson Meets ‘White Iverson’ As The NBA Legend Congratulates Post Malone On 1 Billion Spotify Streams For The Song

On April 10, “White Iverson,” the debut single that was the start of Post Malone’s ascent to global superstardom, reached 1 billion streams on Spotify. Now, Spotify has shared a video marking the occasion, and in it, Allen Iverson, the song’s inspiration, offered a congratulatory message.

The NBA legend and Hall Of Fame member said, “Congrats on 1 billion Spotify streams and your tenth plaque. The whole world loves this song and I’m honored to be a part of it. Keep that same form, Post.”

As Iverson noted, “White Iverson” is Malone’s tenth song to reach a billion Spotify streams. The others are, going from most recent to least, “Goodbyes” Feat. Young Thug, “Rockstar” Feat. 21 Savage, “Psycho” Feat. Ty Dolla Sign, “Better Now,” “Circles,” “Wow,” “Sunflower” with Swae Lee, “I Fall Apart,” and “Congratulations.”

Elsewhere in the video, Malone was asked to explain the song in ten seconds, and he said, “I made the beat and I wrote the song, but I didn’t know how to work Pro Tools, and so I took it over to my buddy’s house. He gave me a crash course on Pro Tools and I couldn’t do it, so he came back in and recorded it, but I guess I originally tried to record it myself.”

Check out the video, which also features Malone playing beer pong with his new plaque, above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Allen Iverson Reacts To Post Malone’s “White Iverson” Joining The 1 Billion Club

Allen Iverson had himself a busy weekend recently as he was Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame induction. Overall, it was a very celebratory time for the NBA legend. Iverson received some kind words from Wade, and he even got a bit misty-eyed. Iverson is a true legend, and his contributions to the sport remain underrated. Moreover, he is also quite significant from a pop culture perspective. For instance, Post Malone’s track “White Iverson” was a tribute of sorts to AI. Now, the song has 1 billion streams on Spotify.

In a video on the Spotify YouTube channel, Post Malone revealed how he feels about the new accomplishment. As you can see, he feels extremely good about it. “It feels super cool that the song does connect with people, and I’m just happy to bring joy into anyone’s life when I can,” Malone said. “It’s an amazing feeling for me, and that really gave me the confidence and the courage to keep attempting to do what I love. I just appreciate all the support, and it’s the most beautiful feeling in the world for me. Thank you.”

Read More: Allen Iverson Speaks On “Unique” Bond With The City Of Philadelphia

Allen Iverson Says Congratulations

Additionally, Allen Iverson himself offered a congratulatory message to Post. Overall, it made for a truly fantastic moment. The song may have come out in 2015, but it still gets a ton of streams. Moreover, it is one of eight Post Malone songs that has gone diamond. “Congrats on 1 billion Spotify streams,” Allen said. “The whole world loves this song and I’m honored to be a part of it. Keep that same form, Post.”

At this stage in his life, it is good to see AI getting his props. He definitely deserves them given all of the slander he used to take from ignorant fans. Hopefully, AI continues to get his flowers for years to come. Let us know your thoughts on “White Iverson,” in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports and music worlds.

Read More: Dwyane Wade Shares Emotional Tribute To Allen Iverson Upon Receiving Hall Of Fame Jacket

The post Allen Iverson Reacts To Post Malone’s “White Iverson” Joining The 1 Billion Club appeared first on HotNewHipHop.