Ariyan Arslani (stage name Action Bronson) is a rapper from Queens known for his hedonistic lyrics, food references, comically boastful persona, quick temper and live stage antics that include wrestling moves like body slamming members of the audience. His name comes from a combination of his graffiti tagging name (Action) and actor Charles Bronson. He is also known as ‘Bam Bam’ and ‘Bronsoliño’.

After attending culinary school and becoming a well-known fire chef in New York, Bronson decided to focus on his rap career instead after breaking his leg in early 2011, left unable to work for months:

I was arguing with the mother of my children. It was her birthday, and I was cooking for my kids, who were with me at work. I go to carry their food out, and I just slip. Crack. My life changed from that day on.

Bronson released a solo album, a collab album (which reached #13 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart) and two mixtapes before Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg took him on as a client and got him signed to Vice Records.

His first release after getting signed was the EP Saab Stories, which reached #6 on the US Rap Albums Chart and #63 on the Billboard 200. Bronson’s next mixtape Blue Chips 2 followed soon after and was named one of the best mixtapes of 2013 by Rolling Stone.

In 2015, Bronson released his sophomore album (first on a major label) Mr Wonderful. It went to #7 on the Billboard 200 and its crossover hit “Baby Blue” reached #91 on the Hot 100. His third album Blue Chips 7000 came out two years later and reached #53. 2018’s White Bronco and 2020’s Only For Dolphins were independently released and did not chart.

Outside of music, Bronson began hosting a food & travel show in 2016 titled Fuck, That’s Delicious, adding the talk show The Untitled Action Bronson Show the following year to his roster. In 2020, Bronson went on a diet that took his weight down from almost 400 pounds to under 300.

Be sure to check out his verified annotations here on Genius.com!