Action Bronson’s impresses in strong major label debut


If you haven’t yet heard of chef-turned-rapper Action Bronson, stop reading this, look up “F-ck, That’s Delicious,” watch a few episodes and come back. The Queens, New York, native is the most inviting rapper in the industry, with a hearty mix of wit and humor that makes him feel just as much a friend as a rapper. His major label album debut, Mr. Wonderful, relays this light energy but keeps everything close to the chest with precise raps and beautiful instrumentals, culminating in one of the most unique rap albums of the year.

Bronson’s story is one of misfortune and rising from the ashes, as his true career intention was to be a chef. He had a successful career in cooking until breaking his leg in the kitchen, forcing him to the sidelines for months. While not cooking, Bronson, born Arian Arslani, began freestyling to pass the time, ultimately leading to his career in rap music. Since then he has become one of the fastest-rising stars in the industry, carving his path not only with his music, but with his cooking roots and persona. Bronson has quickly become an icon for bridging the gap between fine cooking and heavy rap music, most notably with his online show “F-ck, That’s Delicious.”

As a part of the Vice channel Munchies, “F-ck, That’s Delicious” brings together the rap scene and great dining, featuring Bronson eating with cooking legends like Mario Batali and allowing cameras behind the scenes at his shows. It is a raw look at his life and an incredibly humanizing series for the Albanian artist. Without releasing a ton of music, he has already attracted a huge fan base, so this album is long overdue.

The beats on Mr. Wonderful are part rock and part jazz, but rarely do they feel like hip-hop beats. It is a trademark of Bronson’s style that blends his work with prior generations and allows his raw lyricism to shine through. He is humorous — songs are paused to talk with his mother about her aching joints or ordering food at a restaurant — and talented, showcasing some incredible rapping chops through all his comedic interruptions.

Bronson is having fun, and his work makes it easy to feel that. Unlike most other rappers today, he rarely talks about money and almost never talks about guns or the ghetto, leaving him to craft his work around food, women and other parts of his life. This is why Mr. Wonderful is so great to listen to. Even the serious songs have an air of lightness, such as the track “Easy Rider.”

“I had dreams of f-ckin’ Keri Hilson in my Duncans / Woke up naked at the Hilton with a b-tch that look like Seal’s cousin.”

“‘Easy Rider’ is the culmination of my entire career up until now,” said Bronson in an episode of “F-ck, That’s Delicious,” signaling the importance of this song to him personally. Nonetheless, he raps about the unattractive woman he woke up next to one morning, or doing acid for a week in the mountains. This is Action Bronson, hell-bent on having a good time and unconcerned with rappers, critics or anyone trying to stifle his fun.

“Easy Rider” closes the album, which is fitting considering Bronson’s fondness of the track. Bronson described the track in an interview with Complex magazine.

“‘Easy Rider’ is one of the best things I’ve ever created in my life. It’s a beautiful song. The perfect end to everything that came prior. We end on a f-cking crack of the lightning and the thunder into a Curt Chambers guitar solo and we just ride the f-cking Harley into the sunset.”

The most well-known track off the album, “Baby Blue” features Chance the Rapper with Mark Ronson producing and is one of the only songs in which Bronson actually sings. Backed by a high-powered piano riff and heavy cymbals, this song manages to be both light and sad at the same time, with hilarious lyrics out of spite. Chance’s verse is simply a list of bad blessings towards a girl who seems to have hurt him.

“I hope there’s always snow in your driveway / I hope you never get off Fridays / And you work at Friday’s that’s always busy on Fridays,” Chance sings in a fashion that makes it easy to laugh at his misfortune. Adopting the lighter lifestyle of Action Bronson, Chance delivers a hilarious verse, and the whole track is accompanied by an equally funny video featuring Bronson as a hairdresser and Albanian band frontman.

Action Bronson is confident in himself, and his music reflects that with light content and intense delivery, all atop instrumentals reminiscent of an earlier era in music. Mr. Wonderful is one of the most entertaining albums I’ve ever heard, and though it is rough around the edges, it is a great listen.