The rift between Vitale and Malone first showed up in an interview between Vitale and the podcaster and radio personality Charlamagne Tha God, who has also been critical of Malone, referring to him as a “Great White Hype” and a “Fake Future” (via NME).

In the 2020 interview, Vitale revealed that his issue with Malone was less about cultural appropriation — although that’s certainly part of it — but also the bait and switch he feels Malone pulled off once he became successful.

According to Vitale, Post Malone doesn’t just steal Black American musical style, he fails to contribute much of anything original to the genre, and the subtle shift in his aesthetic — from braids and gold chains to cowboy hats and Bud Light — meant that early in Post Malone’s career, he wanted some to believe he’s mixed race. But that as time has gone on, his look and style cleave much closer to white culture.

Although Vitale generally likes Malone’s musical output, it’s this perceived bait and switch in the “caricature”-esque image and persona of Post Malone that Vitale really has an issue with, and Vitale is certainly not alone. Other artists that have expressed issues with Malone include Earl Sweatshirt and Yelawolf, among many others. But with a string of hits and bestselling records it is highly unlikely that Post Malone loses much sleep over any of these beefs (via Billboard).