You’ve seen the photos. Or maybe you’ve just heard the whispers in a Reddit thread at 3 a.m. while scrolling through Austin Richard Post’s discography. There is this persistent, strangely specific idea floating around that the "White Iverson" singer spent some time behind bars before he hit the big leagues. It’s one of those urban legends that just won't die. People look at the face tattoos and the "rough" aesthetic he rocked early in his career and just... assume.
But here is the simple truth: Post Malone has never been to prison.
Honestly, it’s kind of funny how these things start. Usually, it's a mix of a grainy photo of someone who looks vaguely like him in an orange jumpsuit and the general public's habit of stereotyping anyone with ink on their forehead. Let’s actually look at where he was when people think he was "locked up" and why this rumor keeps bubbling back to the surface like a bad penny.
Why people keep asking "Was Post Malone in prison?"
Misinformation is a hell of a drug.
In the case of Posty, the rumor mill usually points toward his time right before Stoney dropped. You’ll find forums where people swear he had a record in Syracuse or Texas. They aren't citing court documents. They aren't showing mugshots. They’re just "vibing" with the idea that he must have a criminal past to be that famous that fast.
Actually, the timeline doesn't support a prison stint at all. Austin Post moved to Los Angeles when he was 18. He lived in a house with a bunch of professional gamers and YouTubers (the Team00 guys). They were literally filming their lives constantly. If he had disappeared for a two-year sentence for "armed robbery" or "drug trafficking"—two common claims you'll see in YouTube comments—someone would have noticed he wasn't in the Minecraft videos anymore.
He was busy. He was making music in a bedroom. He wasn't sitting in a cell.
The "Mugshot" that isn't him
If you Google "Post Malone mugshot," you'll find a few things. One is a photo of a guy with similar hair and a few face tattoos who definitely got arrested in a small town somewhere. It’s not Austin. Then there’s the professional photoshoot he did where he’s styled to look a bit more "street." Fans see these, strip away the context, and share them on TikTok with a slow-reverb song in the background. Suddenly, a million teenagers think their favorite artist is a hardened criminal.
It's a classic case of digital telephone.
Face tattoos and the "bad boy" image
Let’s be real. If Post Malone looked like a suburban accountant, nobody would be asking if he’d done time. The tattoos are a major factor here. He’s been very open about why he got them—often citing insecurity or just wanting to "piss off his mom." In an interview with GQ, he basically admitted that he didn't feel great about his looks, so he figured he'd put something "cool" there.
Culturally, we still associate face ink with the penal system. It's an old-school bias. Even though tattoos are mainstream now, the "Everlast" over his eyebrow or the "Stay Away" on his forehead triggers a specific lizard-brain response in people. They think prison. He thinks art.
The actual legal history of Austin Post
He isn't a saint, but he's also not a felon. Most celebrities have some brush with the law. Post Malone’s "criminal" record is incredibly thin compared to some of his peers in the industry.
He’s had some scary moments, sure. In 2018, he had a string of bad luck that felt like a Final Destination movie. His private jet's tires blew out. He was in a serious car accident in West Hollywood. His old house was targeted in a home invasion (though he didn't live there anymore). Through all of that, he was the victim or just plain unlucky. He wasn't the one in handcuffs.
- Public Intoxication? Not really on the record.
- Drug Charges? Nope.
- Violent Crimes? Zero.
He’s a guy who likes Bud Light and Olive Garden. He’s more likely to be found playing Magic: The Gathering or Apex Legends than getting into a brawl at a club. The biggest "crime" he’s committed in the eyes of the public is maybe that one haircut he had in 2017.
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What about his lyrics?
Rappers and singers often play a character. Posty blends genres—hip hop, country, rock—and sometimes he uses imagery that implies a tougher life than he actually had. That’s just showbiz. When he sings about "hustling" or "the struggle," he’s usually talking about the grind of trying to make it in the music industry while living in a house with five other guys and eating ramen. It’s not a confession of criminal activity.
How to spot a fake celebrity arrest story
Since the internet won't stop making things up, you have to be your own private investigator. If you hear a rumor about a star being in prison, check the sources.
- Check The Smoking Gun or TMZ. If a major star like Post Malone actually went to prison, it wouldn't be a "secret." It would be the lead story on every news outlet in the world.
- Look for the mugshot. Actual mugshots are public record. They usually have a watermark from a sheriff's office. If the "mugshot" looks like a high-res portrait from a magazine, it’s probably a magazine portrait.
- The Timeline Check. Use Wikipedia or social media archives. If the artist was performing in London on the day they were supposedly "arrested" in Atlanta, the math doesn't add up.
The weird truth about celebrity myths
People want their icons to be "edgy." There is a strange desire for artists to have a dark past because it adds "authenticity" to their work. For Post Malone, the "prison" rumor is a way for people to reconcile his massive success and unique look with a narrative they understand.
But Austin Post is just a guy from Grapevine, Texas, who liked metal music, learned to play guitar from Guitar Hero, and became a global superstar. That’s the real story. It’s less "hardcore" than a prison stint, but it’s a lot more impressive.
Next time someone tells you he did three years in a state pen, you can safely tell them they're wrong. He was too busy becoming one of the most streamed artists on the planet to worry about a yard schedule.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Fact-Checkers:
- Verify through public records: Sites like VineLink or local county clerk portals are where real arrests live. If it isn't there, it didn't happen.
- Separate aesthetic from reality: Just because an artist adopts a specific style (tattoos, grillz, etc.) doesn't mean they've lived the lifestyle historically associated with those looks.
- Follow the music: Most of Post Malone's "darker" themes are reflections of his struggles with mental health and the pressures of fame, not a history of incarceration.