My Story by Action Bronson

I’m consistent because I’m new at this. I haven’t been rapping long, so I have a lot of raps in me and new ways to explore avenues of rhyme. Throwing some, you know? I’m new at this. I’m just rhyme, rhyme, rhyme, right now. You got to take time. Gather yourself, live life, and then come back. My foot’s in the door, man. I can’t let the opportunity go to waste. Not many people get this type of opportunity.

Especially growing up the way I grew up. I grew up in an immigrant family. My mother’s, like, a hippy, white woman; Jewish from Brooklyn. She’s the illest ever. My father’s off-the-boat Albanian. So, it’s a crazy mixture. My father was trying to be the dictator and this and that. But mama always won.

I was born on the same year that fucking Marvin Gaye sang at the NBA All-Star Game. That was 1983. I’m going to be 30 in December. I’m 29 now. I’m an old man. I’m washed.

I went to Bayside High School in Queens, NY. I played football. I was a fucking hunk. I was a jock. I was a hunky jock. I was always tagging as ACTION. I’ve been writing since like ’99. I went through so many damn tags. It’s great. Like BUMP, fucking GEM, it’s crazy. My worst tagging experience was recently, man. In Australia, we almost got caught at the show. I was in Melbourne, tagging in a city street. And it’s like SoHo. There’s a lot of fucking graffiti in that area. We thought it was all good. They said, “We’ve seen a fucking large white man with a beard, and some dude in a checkered shirt.” And that was my man. And I’m obviously the big white man with the beard. So they bagged us up and that was that.

The transition of me becoming a rapper from having a day-time job happened literally in the snap of a leg. I was working, I broke my leg. Couldn’t work for months, and I became a full-time rapper. That’s how it went. I never had regrets about pursuing music. You can never regret about anything in life. You got to go with the flow. I don’t live with regrets. I just move forward and try to be better next time.

Now I’m just working, working, working. Doing my thing, touring a lot. Stupidly. Just getting this cooking show thing off the ground. Well, it’s in the works. There’ll be more for me in that area. And there’ll be lots more of Action Bronson in 2013.

I don’t smoke weed no more. I just smoke straight up wax out a pen. I don’t smoke weed no more because it’s worthless. Weed is worth nothing. What comes from it, the derivative? I made this decision couple of months ago. I stopped smoking blunts for a year now. I’ve been smoking just straight joints. You know, I smoke once in a while to keep me grounded.

I know the people who were on [the past covers], but at the end of the day, I’m fucking stoned all the time. I know fucking French was on it. Danny [Brown]. Where’s Riff Raff first off? Riff Raff needs to be here. My relationship with Riff Raff is great. He was at The Grammy’s and he’s not here? But I think everything is pretty much solid. One dude I was pulling for was Domo Genesis and Earl. I mean, mutherfuckas could still make careers no matter what. This is definitely a good stepping-stone.

It feels good to be a XXL Freshman. It’s good stuff. It means you’re recognized by the industry, by your peers. It’s a major stepping-stone to where you want to be. I mean, last year there was a lot of hoopla about it, but I don't think I put in enough work last year. Personally, I think this year was better built. It’s, like, worth it. Last year, it was like I was on the fucking cover anyway with all the exposure I got. People arguing for me and shit.

Aside from myself, I’m checking for my man ScHoolboy. He’s, like, one of my favorite artists now. He was like, “Yo, we got to do a song.” And we did a song at Alchemist’s house. I made lamb chops, everyone fucking ate good, and we were all happy.

I never thought it would be like this. I have the opportunity now and we’re out here.

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