Syracuse native Post Malone nominated for first country music awards

Syracuse native Post Malone has been nominated for his first country music awards.

Posty is up for four prizes at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards, including nominations for single, song, musical event and music video of the year. All four categories are for “I Had Some Help,” his popular collaboration with country superstar Morgan Wallen, who leads all CMA nominees with a total of seven nods including entertainer of the year.

Malone is tied with Lainey Wilson, last year’s entertainer of the year winner, for four nominations at the CMAs. Only Wallen, Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson have more nominations; Stapleton and Johnson are up for five each.

“I Had Some Help,” co-written by Malone, is the lead single on his first country album, “F-1 Trillion,” which also features collaborations with Stapleton, Wilson, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, and Jelly Roll. “I Had Some Help” was named the 2024 Song of the Summer by Billboard, based on its chart performance over 14 weeks.

CMA Awards are nominated and voted on by members of the Country Music Association, which includes music executives, artists, publicists, songwriters and other industry professionals. Malone’s album was not eligible because it was not released during the eligibility period (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024); the single, “I Had Some Help,” was released less than two weeks before the eligibility period ended.

Malone is best known for hip-hop hits like “White Iverson,” “Rockstar,” “Circles,” “Better Now,” and “Sunflower.” Beyonce, who made a similar shift to country music, did not receive any nominations at the CMAs for her “Cowboy Carter” album.

Malone, a Grammy-nominated rapper and singer, was born Austin Post in Syracuse and lived in Central New York until he was 10. He’s performing country music on his new tour, including an upcoming sold-out concert at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview on Saturday.

The 2024 Country Music Association Awards will air live Nov. 20, 2024, at 8 p.m. on ABC.