Santa Claus wasn’t the only one shelling out gifts on Christmas Eve.
According to Renee Brown, a single mother and bartender at The Railyard bar in Houston, Texas, rapper Post Malone channeled his inner Kris Kringle, gifting her an enormous tip on a day that started out unusually to begin with.
Brown says her holiday plans were a deviation from her normal routine, typically spent with her 9-year-old daughter, Iliana.
“We usually bake cookies and watch Christmas movies, and this was the first time I wasn’t able to do that,” she told Music Mayem magazine of her regular plans.
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“I work two jobs and home school my daughter. I’m constantly exhausted,” she explained. “We’ve been without a car for two years. And recently moved after losing everything and starting over from scratch in August of 2024.
“The day started off super slow, and I was just taking it as it was, trying to be in a good mood for others while dealing with not being able to spend Christmas Eve with my daughter,” Brown remembered. But things would change when Post Malone, whose real name is Austin Post, showed up at her bar with pals and fellow performer, Shaboozey, to enjoy a quiet evening.
“I initially didn’t realize [Malone] was there until one of my coworkers from my second job came inside and told me that Austin was outside on the patio,” Brown said. “I thought he was kidding with me at first, then I kept seeing people go outside [and] I kept making drinks for like 30 minutes before curiosity got the best of me, and lo and behold, he was there.
“I told all my regulars not to be weird and bug him as it’s a neighborhood dive bar, and I’m sure he picked a place like that to feel a sense of normalcy.”
The Railyard, described as a no-frills establishment, devoid of pretentiousness, shifted because of the “Circles” singer’s presence.
“It was amazing to see everyone so happy and seeing how kind he was to all the people that spend their days with me on the regular,” she said. “Everyone that he was with was also so kind and inviting. We had a great night jamming to songs on the jukebox.”
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Positive vibes were felt throughout the room, but things only got better for Brown.
“When Austin asked for his check, he didn’t have one because many regulars and his friends bought his beverages,” Brown shared. Intent on tipping Brown, the rapper insisted that he be billed for something.
“So he asked me to ring him up for a penny or anything, so I did. I continued my close and collected all my checks and started to enter my tips. Then I got to his. It was a tip for 20,000 dollars.”
“I immediately broke down crying. It was a very emotional night already being away from home, being swamped behind the bar, trying to process that they were even there and then the tip on top,” she said. Working two jobs, Brown says Malone’s gift was genuinely life-changing.
“This put me in a position to at least be able to get a way back and forth to work and pay up on rent and save a bit. I’m trying to save up to start a business, so I don’t have to continue working two jobs and be able to spend more time with my daughter. Things have been extremely difficult, and this was truly a blessing that I can’t fully put into words. The visit alone was absolutely amazing and something I could talk about and remember for the rest of my life.
“I finally got a chance to stop cleaning and talk to him some more and thank him,” Brown said of sharing her gratitude with Malone. “I know I was crying and thanking him, but he has no idea exactly how much this meant to me.”
Brown shared photos of her and the rapper on Instagram, adding that the performer was “hands down the most humble personable celebrity” she’d had “the pleasure of meeting.”
Although she was able to thank Malone in person, Brown reiterated her appreciation in the interview. “If this message reaches him, I know I told him that night how grateful I am, but I’d like to reiterate that he helped me in ways I can’t even begin to explain,” she said. “My best friend [Matthew] and I have been huge fans of him for years, and it was amazing we got to meet him and experience that moment.”
A representative for the singer, who will go on tour with musical guest Jelly Roll starting in April, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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