Honestly, it’s kinda wild to think about where Austin Post was in 2016. He was the "White Iverson" guy. Most people—critics especially—figured he’d be a one-hit wonder who’d fade into the SoundCloud ether by Christmas. Then he dropped Go Flex.
It changed everything.
If "White Iverson" was the introduction to the swag, Go Flex Post Malone was the proof that he actually knew his way around a guitar. It wasn't just a rap song. It wasn't just a folk song. It was this weird, campfire-meets-808s hybrid that basically predicted the next ten years of popular music.
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The Sound of a Genre Crisis (In a Good Way)
When "Go Flex" hit the airwaves on April 21, 2016, the industry didn't really have a shelf for it. You’ve got this kid with braids and gold teeth playing an acoustic guitar like he’s at a high school talent show, but the drums are hitting like a Metro Boomin production.
The track was produced by Rex Kudo and Charlie Handsome. These guys understood something that a lot of people missed at the time: Post wasn't trying to be a "rapper" in the traditional sense. In an interview with The FADER around the release, Posty said the song was "a little bit of everything that I loved." He’d start with the guitar, then throw the 808s over it to make it "pop."
It sounds simple. But back then, merging "trap folk" with mainstream pop was risky.
Why the Guitar Mattered
Post Malone’s obsession with the acoustic guitar isn't a gimmick. He famously got his start playing Guitar Hero before picking up the real thing at 15. Before the fame, there was a video of him in an American flag shirt covering Bob Dylan’s "Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright."
"Go Flex" was the first time he brought that "college freshman with a guitar" energy to a major label single. It made him relatable. While other artists were flexing about private jets, Post was flexing about "gold on my teeth" while sounding like he was sitting on a porch in Texas.
What Really Happened on the Charts
If you look at the raw numbers, "Go Flex" wasn't an instant #1. It was more of a slow burn.
- Debut: It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 94.
- Peak: It actually took over a year to reach its peak of number 76 in late 2017.
- Longevity: It spent 11 weeks on the chart.
Why the delay? Basically, the world had to catch up to Stoney. Post’s debut album was a bit of a sleeper hit. It famously broke Michael Jackson’s Thriller record for the most weeks in the top 10 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart—clocking in 77 weeks. As more people discovered the album, "Go Flex" became the go-to anthem for fans who wanted something deeper than a club track.
The Music Video and the "Nail Bat"
The visuals for "Go Flex" are peak 2016 Posty. Directed by James Defina and Chris Velona, the video features a cameo by Lia Marie Johnson and a lot of... fire.
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The most iconic image? Post Malone wandering around with a gold-plated nail bat. It’s such a weird, specific aesthetic. You’ve got the beautiful Texas sunset, a classic convertible, and then this weapon that looks like it belongs in a post-apocalyptic movie.
It perfectly captured the "pretty but dangerous" vibe of the song. The video has racked up over 460 million views on YouTube as of early 2026. People are still commenting on it today, usually talking about how much they miss "braids Posty" or how this song helped them through a breakup.
Why We Are Still Talking About It in 2026
It’s easy to look at Post Malone now—the country superstar, the guy with the F-1 Trillion album—and forget how experimental he was at the start.
"Go Flex" was the bridge. Without this song, we probably don't get "Stay" or "Circles." We definitely don't get his recent pivot into full-blown country music. He was already telegraphing his future moves back in 2016; we just weren't all paying attention yet.
Some critics at the time, like the folks at Pitchfork (who gave Stoney a 4.5/10), called the songwriting generic. They were wrong. They mistook simplicity for a lack of depth. "Go Flex" works because it’s effortless. It’s about the feeling of "stuntin'" when you don't have much else, a sentiment that’s pretty much universal.
The Impact on Other Artists
You can see the DNA of "Go Flex" in a dozen different artists now. Everyone from Dominic Fike to Morgan Wallen has played with that "acoustic guitar over hip-hop drums" formula. Even Charlotte Cardin and The Band Perry have covered the song, proving that the melody holds up even when you strip away the 808s entirely.
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Practical Takeaways for the Super-Fan
If you’re revisiting Stoney or just discovered the track, there are a few things to keep an ear out for:
- The Layering: Listen to the background vocals. Charlie Handsome layered Post’s voice in a way that gives it that "dreamy" reverb that became his signature.
- The Lyrics: While it’s a song about flexing, there’s a weird melancholy to it. Lines like "Man, I just wanna go flex" sound almost tired, like he's already over the fame before it even fully arrived.
- The Live Versions: Check out his first national TV appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He performed "Go Flex" and you can see the nerves, but the vocal control is surprisingly solid for a "SoundCloud rapper."
Post Malone has confirmed he’s dropping two new albums in 2026. Whether he goes back to his hip-hop roots or stays in the country lane, "Go Flex" remains the blueprint for his entire career. It’s the moment he stopped being a meme and started being an artist.
To really appreciate the evolution, go back and watch the "Go Flex" video, then jump straight to a 2025 live performance of "I Had Some Help." The face tattoos have multiplied and the genre has shifted, but the guy with the guitar is still exactly the same.
Next Steps for Your Playlist:
Go find the "Acoustic Unplugged" version of "Go Flex." It strips away the production and lets the songwriting breathe, proving that underneath all the "sauce," there was always a genuine songwriter hiding in plain sight.