Austin Richard Post used to sleep on a closet floor in an Encino house filled with YouTubers and Minecraft streamers. He was a kid from Grapevine, Texas, who loved Guitar Hero and wore a versatile braid. Then came "White Iverson." Within months, he wasn't just a kid anymore; he was Post Malone, a cultural lightning rod who seemed to confuse everyone over the age of thirty. Looking at Post Malone now and then, the trajectory isn't just a glow-up. It is a complete atmospheric reentry.
He went from being labeled a "culture vulture" to becoming the most liked man in music.
How?
It wasn't by following the rules. Most artists find a lane and stay there because the industry is terrified of brand confusion. Posty did the opposite. He started in a hazy cloud of melodic trap, drifted into stadium rock, and eventually landed exactly where his father probably expected him to: singing country music with Dolly Parton and Morgan Wallen.
The Grapevine Kid vs. The Bud Light Knight
Before the ink covered every square inch of his forehead, Austin Post was a heavy metal enthusiast. He played in a band called Ashley’s Revenge. People forget that. They see the jewelry and the grills and assume he was manufactured in a lab to dominate SoundCloud. But if you look at the footage from his high school years, he was already doing exactly what he does now. He was covering Bob Dylan. He was obsessed with folk music.
The transition to Post Malone now and then shows a man returning to his roots rather than inventing new ones.
In 2015, "White Iverson" was a fluke to many. Critics called him a one-hit wonder. They saw a white kid with braids and thought he was playing a character. But the thing about Austin is that he’s always been painfully, almost awkwardly, sincere. When he showed up on The Breakfast Club early in his career and got grilled by Charlamagne tha God, he didn't have the slick, media-trained answers. He just looked like a guy who liked making melodies.
The Face Tattoo Philosophy
Why the tattoos? Why cover a perfectly normal face with "Stay Away" and barbed wire?
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Post has been remarkably honest about this in interviews with GQ and Howard Stern. He’s admitted to a certain level of insecurity. He told GQ that he didn't like how he looked, so he decided to "put something cool on there" so he could look in the mirror and feel okay. It's a vulnerable admission for a guy who moved 100 million units.
When you compare the "then" photos—a clean-shaven kid with a slight smirk—to the "now" version, you see a man who has used his skin as a canvas for his own chaotic journey. The tattoos became a shield. Paradoxically, as he added more ink, the public started to see him more clearly. The "scary" tattoos didn't match the "polite" personality. That cognitive dissonance is exactly why he became a superstar. He’s the guy who looks like he’d steal your car but actually spends the whole night apologizing for taking up too much space.
The Genre Pivot That Actually Worked
Most artists who try to "go country" after a career in hip-hop or pop get laughed out of the room. It feels desperate. It feels like a mid-life crisis caught on digital film.
But with Post, it felt... inevitable?
If you go back to 2017, he was already performing "Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right" on late-night sets. He was wearing Nudie suits before it was a trend in the indie-pop world. His 2024 album F-1 Trillion wasn't a pivot; it was an arrival.
- He stopped trying to fit the "rapper" mold that the industry forced on him.
- He leaned into the vibrato that makes his voice sound like a dusty AM radio.
- He collaborated with legends like Hank Williams Jr. and Tim McGraw, earning their respect by actually knowing the deep cuts.
The difference in Post Malone now and then is the confidence in his own eclecticism. In 2016, he seemed worried about being "hip-hop enough." In 2026, he doesn't care. He’ll play a Tiny Desk concert with a bluegrass band and then go headline a festival with a pyrotechnic rap set.
Health, Fatherhood, and the "Mushroom" Phase
One of the biggest shifts in the "now" era of Post Malone is his physical transformation. Fans were genuinely worried for a minute. He lost a significant amount of weight, and in the world of celebrity gossip, that usually triggers "substance abuse" rumors.
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Posty shut that down quickly.
He attributed the change to "dad life." Becoming a father in 2022 changed his perspective on longevity. He stopped drinking so much soda. He cut back on the heavy partying. He wanted to be around for his daughter. There’s a certain brightness in his eyes now that wasn't there during the Beerbongs & Bentleys era. Back then, he looked exhausted. He looked like the lifestyle was eating him alive.
He’s also been candid about his use of psychedelics. He told Joe Rogan that he once took so many mushrooms that it affected his short-term memory for a while. That kind of honesty is rare. It’s not a PR-cleansed statement. It’s just Austin being Austin. This transparency is the glue of his fan base. You aren't rooting for a brand; you’re rooting for a guy who is figuring it out in real-time.
The Business of Being Posty
Financially, the jump from "then" to "now" is staggering.
He isn't just selling records. He’s a brand juggernaut. From the Crocs collaborations—which sold out in seconds—to his Maison No. 9 rosé, he’s mastered the art of the "unlikely" partnership. He doesn't partner with high-fashion houses that feel out of reach. He partners with Doritos and Raising Cane’s.
He understands his audience because he is his audience. He’s the guy who likes expensive Magic: The Gathering cards (he famously bought the One Ring card for $2 million) but also wants a cheap blooming onion from Outback Steakhouse.
Why He Stayed Relevant When Others Faded
Look at the Class of 2016. A lot of those SoundCloud era stars are gone. They either couldn't evolve, or they got caught up in the "persona" and forgot to write actual songs.
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Post Malone survived because he is a songwriter first.
Strip away the Auto-Tune and the trap drums, and "Circles" is just a great folk-pop song. "Congratulations" is an anthem. "I Fall Apart" is a raw soul track. By focusing on the melody rather than the aesthetic, he built a foundation that could support his many identity shifts.
The "now" version of Post is a man who has achieved "legacy" status remarkably early. He’s only in his late 20s, yet he’s treated like a veteran. He’s the bridge between the streaming era and the old-school Nashville songwriting tradition.
The Realities of the Evolution
It hasn't all been perfect. There have been moments where the "now" feels a bit cluttered. The sheer volume of collaborations can sometimes wash out his individual voice. When you’re on every track from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift to Wallen, there’s a risk of becoming musical wallpaper.
However, his ability to adapt his tone—to be the "vibe" guy for Taylor and the "heartache" guy for Morgan—is a skill set very few performers possess. He is the ultimate musical chameleon because his core personality is so static. He’s always the nicest guy in the room. That never changed.
What We Can Learn From Posty’s Journey
If you’re looking at your own "now and then," there are a few takeaways from Austin Post’s career that actually apply to real life, even if you don't have "Always Tired" tattooed under your eyes.
- Don't ignore your early passions. He loved country and folk as a kid, suppressed it to get famous in rap, and eventually found his greatest happiness returning to what he loved first.
- Vulnerability is a superpower. By admitting he was scared or insecure, he became untouchable. You can't bully someone who has already admitted their flaws to the world.
- Adaptability beats rigidity. The artists who refused to change died out. Posty moved with the tide.
- Kindness is a brand. In an industry full of egos, being the "polite guy" made him everyone's favorite collaborator.
Post Malone remains a fascinating case study in American stardom. He is a walking contradiction: a tattooed rockstar who loves his mom, a rapper who doesn't rap much anymore, and a Texas transplant who became the face of modern music. Whether he’s sipping a Bud Light or a vintage red, he’s doing it as himself. And honestly? That’s the hardest thing to do in Hollywood.
To track his evolution yourself, go back and listen to the August 26th mixtape and then immediately play F-1 Trillion. The sonic distance is massive, but the soul behind the microphone is identical. He just finally grew into the man he was always trying to be.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators:
- Audit your roots: Like Post, look at the things you loved at 13. Often, your "authentic self" is buried there, waiting to be integrated into your current career.
- Value melody over trend: If you're a creator, focus on the "bones" of your work. Trends (like trap beats) fade, but solid structure (like a good chorus) lasts forever.
- Embrace the pivot: Don't be afraid to change your "category" if your current one no longer fits. The transition might be messy, but the destination is usually more sustainable.