Action Bronson: I Can't See Myself Wearing a Skirt or a Wig

One of hip-hop's do-no-wrong stories of 2012, Albanian Queens-native Action Bronson put out Blue Chips for free and followed it up with Rare Chandeliers last year. He signed to Vice Records and made countless critics' year-end lists flowing unpretentiously on typical rap fare (girls, chronic, hookers,) and his own (food, obscure athletes, food). We caught up with him backstage at Philly's Blockley Pourhouse to learn about oxtail, weed and uh, Mac Miller. Oh, also, he's a chef.

So what was the best thing you ate all year?
This past couple weeks I was in Milan, I had a risotto with a seared bone marrow and a veal reduction on top--it was amazing. That was the best thing I had all year for sure.

What about the best thing you cooked?
I made some oxtails the other day as a matter of fact, fucking amazing. I didn't think it would come out as good as they did, but they sure did come out amazing.

Why didn't you think they would?
Uh...I thought I was rusty.

Yeah?
But I've still got the touch.

Blue Chips ended up on nearly as many rap lists as Kendrick's album. Seeing how you and Party Supplies left in the mistakes and stuff, did you have any idea it would blow up like it did?
Not really mistakes...but uh, I didn't know people were gonna like that shit just because it's so different and it doesn't sound like anything else. It was a mixtape, you know? It was better than people's albums. [Laughs] I hope that my real album does as well.

Is that something you worry about? Lots of rappers these days get more praise for the mixtapes than the album once they're finally in stores.
Not really, because I put out so many different projects, so many different projects I've put out for free...I'm not really worried about anything to tell you the truth. Things are progressing just the way they should be. If I don't sell, it won't be the end of the world. I'll still be able to do my music and still make money. If people felt the way they say they do and the way they tell me, then they should fucking buy it. It should do pretty good. I don't know what kind of...like Kendrick, he has Dr. Dre behind him. I don't have Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre was like, 'This is the guy. He's next.' I guess we don't have this potential to do the same as him but I'm just doing the best I can.

Well, you're on the A$AP Rocky CD.
Yeah. What does that mean?

You have people in your corner blowing up at the same time...
Oh yeah yeah yeah.

Although New York altogether's coming back into the game.
I mean, yeah, it's a good time right now. It's exciting to be a part of, to tell you the truth.

I feel like this is the biggest time for NY rap since Dipset, if not the '90s.
They were like a smash. They were amazing. [Burps] Excuse me. It just feels good to be a part of. With all this buzz around the city it's almost like a fucking sporting team that's doing well.

So you think Hot 97 will start playing their own rappers now?
Nah. Unless they make songs that, you know, go to the crowd they need. It's a business, you have to understand that. There's certain times they'll play you but unless you have that record, that hit, they're not gonna play you during the day. They're gonna play the songs that test well so listeners don't move the channel. It's all about the dollars now. I never understood that, you know, I just always heard songs on the radio and never understood what was going on. But I get it now.