Action Bronson

Known for intricate lyricism laced with vulgarity and wit, Action Bronson cites Queens-born Kool G Rap and Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah among his primary influences while drawing on his earlier career as a chef to deliver extensive culinary references. Emerging from underground circles in the early 2010s, the rapper reached the Billboard 200 Top Ten with his 2015 major-label debut Mr. Wonderful, which included the gold-certified Chance the Rapper collaboration "Baby Blue." He later broadened his profile through television hosting, authorship, and acting roles while sustaining his musical development on projects such as Blue Chips 7000 (2017), the Loma Vista release Only for Dolphins (2020), and Cocodrillo Turbo (2022). In 2024 he independently issued Johann Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor.

A native New Yorker raised in the Flushing section of Queens, Bronson—born Ariyan Arslani—first honed his skills in his family's restaurant. Following culinary studies at the Art Institute of New York City, he held various positions in the food industry before a broken leg halted kitchen work and prompted serious attention to rapping, an activity he had initially pursued casually. His initial prominent exposure came via a 2007 mixtape recorded with the Outdoorsmen, followed by additional guest appearances and a solo single. Momentum built substantially in 2011 with the release of his debut mixtape plus the full-length projects Dr. Lecter and Well-Done, the latter a joint effort with producer Statik Selektah.

After delivering further mixtapes alongside Party Supplies and the Alchemist, Bronson made his Atlantic debut (through Vice) in 2013 with the Harry Fraud-produced EP Saaab Stories. Bolstered by guest spots from Prodigy and Raekwon—two artists reflecting his core 1990s hardcore influences—the project reached number six on Billboard's rap chart. A second collaborative tape with Party Supplies appeared before year's end. Additional guest verses preceded his third album, Mr. Wonderful; the pre-release single "Baby Blue" featuring Chance the Rapper propelled the full-length to number two on the rap chart and number seven on the Billboard 200.

Bronson brought his food-and-travel web series Fuck, That's Delicious to cable in 2016, then premiered a second Viceland program, Traveling the Stars: Action Bronson and Friends Watch Ancient Aliens, shortly afterward. That same year also saw the release of the Traveling the Stars theme "Descendant of the Stars," the track "Durag vs. Headband," and his contribution "Standing in the Rain" to Suicide Squad: The Album. Another Atlantic album, Blue Chips 7000, and the book Fuck, That's Delicious: An Annotated Guide to Eating Well surfaced in 2017, coinciding with a cooking show sharing the book's title. The following year he self-released his fourth album White Bronco, which contained the Daringer-produced title track and several Knxwledge collaborations, notably "Prince Charming."

Although Bronson pursued additional avenues such as acting roles in The Irishman and The King of Staten Island, his musical output remained steady into the 2020s. Reuniting with frequent partner the Alchemist, he issued the Lamb Over Rice EP near the close of 2019, then added Kool G Rap to his list of recipients for a guest verse on "A Queen's Thing" early in 2020. Only for Dolphins arrived later that year, its characteristically bold rhymes set against productions spanning Latin soul, reggae, and mid-1980s Russian fusion. Cocodrillo Turbo followed in 2022 with similarly expansive beats and appearances from Conway the Machine, Roc Marciano, Meyhem Lauren, and others. The self-released Johann Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor emerged in 2024, again featuring Larry June, Julian Love, and Meyhem Lauren.