Rapper, chef, pro wrestler, actor, author, exotic olive oil taster, television show host, and natural born entertainer— Action Bronson, born Ariyan Arslani in 1983, is the multi-hyphenate of hip-hop, overflowing with personality and bars that you could never begin to predict.
Raised in a Queens household with Albanian and Jewish roots, he was exposed to a rich tapestry of traditions and cuisines from an early age, all within the epicenter of hip-hop’s golden age. With this background serving as his fundaments, Bronson’s career trajectory has been as unpredictable as his hooks. His irreverent charm and unapologetic authenticity have endeared him to fans around the world, whether he’s on a microphone in the studio or in a kitchen turning the simple act of eating with friends into a form of entertainment.
The most standout characteristic you’ll notice about his music and personality is his boisterous sense of humor. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether he raps with the intent of making you laugh or if he’s often only capable of writing in an articulately silly tone. Much like a skilled comedian, Bronson’s punchlines often feel like getting hit in a dimly lit alleyway— you never see it coming.
His effervescent energy is what fuels his ability to host several television shows with ease. The premise of his most popular show, F*ck, That’s Delicious, is Action Bronson eating some of the most incredible meals in the world as he banters with chefs, restaurant owners, and his crew of musicians & miscellaneous entertaining characters. This simple recipe made even more success for Bronson and gave him a platform to write the cookbook F*ck, That’s Delicious: An Annotated Guide to Eating Well, now a New York Times bestseller and a personal favorite of mine due to the fact that it reads more like a novel than a cookbook.
Bronson is undoubtedly one of the most unique hip-hop artists to come out of New York in recent times. Hailing from Flushing, Queens, he was an artist in the kitchen before ever seriously picking up the pen. This culinary background comes through his work on an every-other-bar basis, as he lets his core interests of food, sports, and wrestling bleed through his pen with reckless abandon.
In 2011, Bronson burst onto the hip-hop scene with his debut mixtape, Dr. Lecter, receiving widespread acclaim and establishing himself as one of the most promising talents in underground hip-hop with his clever writing and confident faithfulness to his own personality. Thirteen years and over ten projects later, he still shows no signs of a dulling pen. Since his 2022 album Cocodrillo Turbo, he’s focused more on other aspects of his career, such as a pro wrestling debut in the AEW and his show The Untitled Action Bronson Show, however he recently announced his upcoming LP Johan Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor with an accompanying snippet assuring fans that he still lives in the same soulful vein of rap that he started in.
I’d be remiss to not mention that Action Bronson is also a true ambassador of the boroughs — he’s never forgotten to represent his hometown in his creative endeavors. Whether he’s rapping about street life or street food, his love for his city shines through in his artistry. And as someone who’s spent many summers of my youth wandering Queens, it’s apparent to me that the vibrant diversity of this borough has become the creative lifeblood of his music.
With a discography that spans tens of albums, mixtapes, and collaborations, he has cemented his status as one of hip-hop’s most original voices. From his early mixtapes like Dr. Lecter to his more recent projects like Only for Dolphins, Bronson has consistently blended the genre with whichever sound he most strongly gravitates to at the time, blending witty wordplay and vivid storytelling with heavily instrumental production.
Armed with an arsenal of countless references to pro wrestling, he acrobatically flows over imaginative beats like a cruiserweight without ever taking himself too serious. For those who can take kindly to a few raunchy lyrics, it’s hard to not have fun when listening to a Bronson track.
He creates the kind of music that makes you feel like a street aristocrat. My friend once described the song Dmtri from Lamb Over Rice, the collaborative EP with the Alchemist, as a song meant only to be listened to in the cobblestone streets of Italy or Portugal, smoking in the rays of a warm sunset. Truer words have seldom been spoken.
In an industry often dominated by trends and ephemeral gimmicks, Action Bronson has consistently stood out as a refreshing reminder of the power of individuality and authenticity. With his grandiose personality and brash creativity, he continues to inspire as he explores new avenues of artistic expression. But one thing will always be certain: you won’t find another rapper quite like Action Bronson.
