Post Malone Says He Turned To Alcohol Over "Culture Vulture" Backlash

13 August 2024, 17:44

Post Malone Says He Drank Alcohol To Cope With Being Called A "Culture Vulture". Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage, Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

By Sam Prance

Post Malone was accused of "appropriating" Black culture with his music and aesthetic at the start of his career.

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Post Malone has said that he turned to drinking when he was accused of being a "culture vulture" at the start of his career.

As soon as Post Malone released his debut single 'White Iverson' in 2015, he was accused of cultural appropriation online. Not only was Post's music clearly heavily influenced by hip-hop but he also styled himself in traditionally Black aesthetics. In his early music videos, Post often wore braids and grills. More recently, Post has pivoted to making country music.

Now, Post has revealed how the criticism affected him at the time and how he feels about it reflecting on it nine years later.

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Speaking to CBS about being labelled a "culture vulture", Post said: "It sucked. I was a kid." As for how he dealt with it, Post revealed: "Drink a lot." When asked if he took it personally, Post added: "Absolutely. It's hard not to." Post was 20-years-old at the time.

Back in 2015, Post tried to shut down the backlash on Twitter. He tweeted: "i am not a rapper, im an artist. you can’t box me into a genre or anything i jus make what i want."

He also appeared on The Breakfast Club, where he addressed the "culture vulture" discourse by saying: "I'm not scared [to be labeled a culture vulture] because I'm not trying to be anything I'm not. I like what I like and I don't think I'm biting off a certain culture of copying a certain culture or trying to be a part of a certain culture. I like what I like."

Talking to The New York Times now, Post said: "Genres suck. It’s easier to catalog music that way. But at a certain point - and the cool thing is that it’s moving towards this — why can’t you mix all this together and make something that’s truly unique to you?"

Post also defended his old style and music saying: "I’ve still got my chains. I love my Maybach. That’s still me. Everything was always me. I just don’t go spend all my money in the strip club, because I want to be in the woods."

Post Malone in 2016. Picture: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images

As for how bad his drinking got, Post told CBS: "Four years ago, I was on a rough path. It was terrible. Getting up, having a good cry, drinking, and then going living your life, and then whenever you go lay down, drinking some more and having a good cry."

Post credits his girlfriend and his daughter with getting him in a healthier space both mentally and physically. He said: "I don’t feel like that anymore, and it’s the most amazing thing."