“White Iverson” singer and rapper Post Malone reveals his identity as an artist through the early-December release of his album “Stoney”
Karen Supandi
Staff Writer
Up-and-coming hip-hop artist Post Malone released his new album, “Stoney,” on December 9, 2016. And to say the least, it is a controversy.
The 21-year-old got popular after “White Iverson” became viral in February 2015, which is included as one of the eighteen tracks in this album. Honestly, the vocals and track beats were good—but the lyrics that compare himself to basketball icon Allen Iverson and music video that showed him parading in cornrows branded him as a “culture vulture” and the Donald Trump of hip-hop.
“Things that should’ve killed his career have only made him bigger,” Republic Records executive Rob Stevenson, according to Los Angeles Times, said.
Despite the criticisms and Post’s awareness of them all, “Stoney” is surprisingly a soft and vulnerable album. If you focus on the music alone, the album is one of the best hip-hop albums to date—demonstrating the artist’s depth and contemporary R&B style.
The first three songs—“Broken Whiskey Glass,” “Big Lie,” and “Deja Vu” featuring Justin Bieber—boast dark intonations with heavier, more deliberate beats, already setting how emotion-ridden the rest of the album will be.
Post later decides to change it up with “No Option” and “Cold,” both of which contain a more upbeat hip-hop rhythm. However, he switches it again using more soulful vocals in “I Fall Apart,” again proving his multidimensionality.
The next few tracks vary, showcasing the range of his creativity while still maintaining the scope of his R&B style. He showed off a more hardcore style of rapping in “Patient” and “Feel,” featuring Kehlani, but he drifts back to focusing on vocals in “Yours Truly, Austin Post,” “Up There,” “Congratulations,” “Too Young,” and “Go Flex,” the latter of which is accompanied by a tribal-like rhythm. Post even messes around with a hint of rock beats in “Leave,” electronic background in “Hit This Hard,” and alternative guitar riffs in “Feeling Whitney.”
The recurring beats in the album definitely makes a statement about Post’s style as an artist, and the variations included within certain songs show the extent of his authenticity. All judgments aside, the album does reinforce Post’s talent. He has plenty of room to grow, but I have no doubts about his potential of being one of the future generation’s greatest hip-hop artists.
Rating: 4.5/5
Eagle Era 