Music Reviews

On "Only for Dolphins," Action Bronson Takes Us to the Tropics

The rappers fifth studio album caters to our collective wanderlust

Photo by: FPVmat A / Unsplash

In the 2011 music video for "Brunch," Action Bronson transports a woman's corpse to his lakehouse, hoping to dispose of it off the side of his boat. While en route, he pulls off the side of the highway and stabs her a few more times to make sure she's dead. "I thought I took care of this f*cking *unt," he says.

The track itself isn't nearly as menacing. Dr. Lectar's jazzy instrumental is hushed and inviting. Bronson speaks over it conversationally, detailing how he crafted a bacon and bleu cheese salad while getting head and how he "slices and dices the mic like the yakuza."

The contrast between the two Bronson's was drastic and sometimes crude but always unique enough to warrant a conversation. His rapping was eloquent, his backstory as a gourmet chef-turned-emcee compelling, and his wordplay nimble and devoid of any fluff. As the years have gone on, he's relaxed on his serial killer aesthetic and has practically turned into a walking reality TV show, but for a good reason. His talent for translating unique taste in refined culture into bouts of braggadocious exuberance is perfect for hipster smoke sessions and cocktail parties alike.

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