Post Malone's Dad: What to Know About Rich Post

Post Malone's star continues to rise, even as the music industry pauses touring amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Many fans have taken this year to deepen their love for the "Circles" rapper, including getting to know more about his personal life. While the world is more than familiar with Malone (even if it's just in passing through his concert antics), fans are likely not as familiar with his father, who has been a major influence on his son's successful music career.

Post, a Syracuse native, spoke with Syracuse.com in 2017 about his fondness for heavy metal music and how that ended up having an influence on Malone as he set out to develop his own sound. "I was a heavy metal, hair band kind of guy," Post told the publication, noting that he's seen acts such as AC/DC, Prince and Billy Idol in concert.

ost also expressed that he used to work as a DJ for weddings and that he was exposed to many different types of music as a result. In turn, his son, whose real name is Austin Richard Post, was able to listen to a wide range of music styles such as country, grunge, and classic rock.

Post was a big supporter of Malone's growing career in the music industry, as he recounted times when he would drive his son to open mic nights around Texas, where the family lived.

"We'd drive him all over the place anyplace that would let him play. Open mic nights, where he'd do covers of Guns N' Roses and Outkast," Post shared. "I'm really proud of the kid, and what he's done for himself is amazing," he added.

More recently, in 2019, Post discussed his son's career with CBS 11, where he acknowledged that his son's music (and behavior) may not be everyone's cup of tea, but, most importantly, he's nothing but genuine. "If you look at Austin, he's not the normal representation of a lot of things. But he is who he is. He is genuine, and that's what makes him happy," he said.

In the past, Malone has opened up about just how much his father has influenced his music, echoing his father's statements. "My dad was always playing music," Malone told radio station Hot 97 in 2015, as Syracuse.com also noted. "Not like playing music, but listening to music. And he put me on everything... Folk and funk and rap. I moved to Dallas and I started making music. So, that's really it. And from then on I just started making what I like. Playing guitar. And writing my own songs. And just making music."