All About Post Malone's Dad Rich Post

Post Malone’s dad inspired his interest in music

Post Malone has his father, Rich Post, to thank for his interest in an eclectic range of music.

"My dad was always playing music," the singer told Hot 97 in 2015. "And he put me on everything ... folk and funk and rap ... And from then on I just started making what I like. Playing guitar. And writing my own songs."

After Malone was born in 1995, Rich raised the future superstar in New York and Texas, where Malone started learning how to play the guitar and performed gigs at local restaurants. From the smallest shows to Malone's international tours, Rich has continued to be one of his son’s biggest supporters.

"Five years ago when this really started nobody would say ... you'd be the most streamed artist on Spotify in the world,” the proud dad told CBS News in 2019. “It's just crazy how things happen ... I still see that kid that would dress up in his ninja costume for Halloween. Or the goofy kid that was performing at the family talent shows."

Beyond Rich's early influences on his taste in music, Malone, whose birth name is Austin Post, even took his dad’s advice to heart when he decided to follow his dreams. “You’re never gonna make everybody happy,” Malone told Zane Lowe of his dad's wise words in 2019. “That’s always stuck with me.”

In the same interview, Rich explained the most important lesson he wanted his son to learn from him. When Malone decided to leave college after just a few months to pursue music, Rich told him, “It doesn’t matter if you have an education ... whatever it is, make sure you’re the best at it that you can be.”

Ultimately, Malone's dedication and his dad's belief in him paid off. "I'm really proud of the kid, and what he's done for himself is amazing," Rich told Syracuse.com in 2017.

Here’s everything to know about Post Malone’s father, Rich Post.

He’s from New York but now lives in Texas

Rich grew up in Penfield, New York, and attended Syracuse University. He lived in the town surrounding the college for over a decade before relocating with his family to Grapevine, Texas, when Malone was 9 years old.

The proud dad went to work for the Dallas Cowboys and was the assistant director of food and beverage at AT&T Stadium. Like his son, who has a Cowboys football helmet inked on his shoulder, Rich is a big Cowboys fan.

Related: A Guide to Post Malone's Tattoos and What They Mean

He was a DJ

Although he told Syracuse.com he was "a heavy metal, hair band kind of guy" in his youth, Rich eventually worked as a wedding DJ in the Syracuse area, playing all genres of music for partygoers.

Some of Rich's original favorite bands were Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister and AC/DC, but the job required him to listen to all kinds of music, in turn influencing Malone's interests.

"If you look at Austin, he's not the normal representation of a lot of things," Rich told CBS News of his son's eclectic music style. "But he is who he is. He is genuine, and that's what makes him happy,"

He supported his son’s musical dreams from the start

According to Rich, he bought Malone a guitar after noticing his love of the popular video game Guitar Hero, hoping he’d learn to play the instrument.

"I told him if he stuck with it for 6 months, I'd get him guitar lessons," Rich told Syracuse.com. "[Six months later] he said 'Nope, I developed my own style.' "

Rich also put in major miles taking Malone to different shows, from cafés to battles of the bands. "We'd drive him all over the place anyplace that would let him play,” he explained. “Open mike [sic] nights, where he'd do covers of Guns N Roses and Outkast.”

His hard work and dedication paid off, as Malone eventually shot to fame, earning multiple Grammy nominations and scoring several No. 1 hits. Now, Rich often posts about his son’s projects on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, sharing his pride for Malone.

In February 2024, Rich shared his excitement for his son's upcoming song with Taylor Swift on Instagram. "I don’t know how long a Fortnight is but I can’t wait for it," he wrote in the caption, referencing Swift's Feb. 4 announcement of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

He also expressed his pride for his son ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl, where Malone performed "America The Beautiful" during the pregame show on Feb. 11, before the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. "In spite of my Boys not getting there (again), my BOY will be there doing what he does best," he posted on X, referencing the Dallas Cowboys.

He has toured with Malone

In 2023, Rich spent a few weeks on tour with Malone, supporting his son and taking in his live shows night after night.

“I can’t, in my wildest dreams, understand how this must be for him,” Rich told Esquire at the time.

Malone added, “He’s been my biggest fan forever. Even when I was doing s----- Metallica covers, just singing in my room with my earphones full blast and he could just hear me yelling.”

He advocates for animal adoption

A quick scroll through Rich's Instagram reveals lots of photos and videos of his son, but also plenty of snapshots of his pups, including Tucker, Tobie and Tyson. Rich is an advocate for animal adoption and frequently posts about the importance of adopting pets from shelters, including older animals.

“I’ll never understand how the saying ‘My life is going to the dogs’ is a derogatory thing,” he captioned a May 2023 Instagram photo of himself and his canine companions. “I feel like my life is going to the dogs and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

He loves cars

Like his son, Rich has an impressive car collection and enjoys restoring classic vehicles, including a light blue Camaro he has featured on his Instagram.

In January 2023, Rich shared about his love for cars alongside a video of a new car being dropped off. "Nothing beats the midweek blues like 670 ponies being delivered," he wrote in the caption.

He’s a grandfather

Rich isn’t just a proud dad — he became a doting grandpa when Malone welcomed a daughter with his fiancée in May 2022.

"I'm excited for this next chapter in my life, I'm the happiest I've ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad," the musician told PEOPLE shortly before his daughter was born. "Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day."

Related: Post Malone's Daughter: Everything to Know

Rich's name on X is even “GPop,” which some fans have speculated is what the toddler calls her grandpa.

In a 2023 interview with Esquire, Rich joked about supporting his son into fatherhood. “I told him, ‘Now you can tell dad jokes,' " he said. "You know what you are if you tell dad jokes before you have a kid? You’re a faux pa.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.