Rapper Action Bronson Drops New Single “Latin Grammy’s”

Action Bronson, the 36-year-old rapper from Queens, New York, dropped his first single of 2020, titled "Latin Grammys." The single, which sits at 2 minutes and 50 seconds, fuses his signature pop culture references from Derik Jeter, football, and his neighborhood Flushing, Queens. With a Latin jazz-inspired horn section, is a welcome return to the music scene since his 2019 EP “Lamb Over Rice," which was released on November 22 of that year. The song features the humor that Action has brought since hitting the scene with 2010’s "Imported Goods." "Latin Grammys" references his love for pop culture via such lyrics as, "I fly the plane better than Tom Cruise / Drive cars like Dale Sr. with my feet up / Lotus pose like Shiva on the floor / For the fight with my seat next to Jeter."

The single, which will also be released on his new album Only For Dolphins later this year, is accompanied by a music video featuring clips from the 1995 World's Strongest Man competition. The video features Bronson with his head digitally added to the body of Magnús Ver Magnusson, the winner of that year's competition. Not accounting for the lyrics of the song, the video in itself is a spectacle to behold, from Action’s facial expressions, to the overall clips of the competition. These elements are sure to bring laughs from new and old fans alike. The single is also the first real project put out by the rapper during the COVID-19 Pandemic. There are recent photos of the rapper looking slimmer, so this music video seems to reflect Bronson’s recent success with exercising.

The Latin jazz beat for the single, originally titled "Ozersky," after the late American food writer Joshua Ozersky, who passed away in 2015, was created by Tommy Mas, who previously worked on and produced his 2011 album Dr. Lecter. According to the rapper, “Latin Grammys” is “all about metamorphosing, this song is about coming of age." He added, "I love a good Latin-jazz, upbeat vibe. It’s got that funk, you know? You can do all kinds of dances to this song. You know a song is good when you can do all different types of dances to it, and you’re still on rhythm.”

The song shows a definite progression and use of horn and catchy beats, similar to “Lamb over Rice”. The music video itself has accumulated over 400k views since its release on July 30. The use of the strongman competition perfectly complements the reference to '90s sports star Derek Jeter, who hit the MLB with the Yankees in 1996, as well as Dale Earnhardt Sr., a NASCAR star of the late '90s. The song also features references to comic books: “Laughing in the mirror like the Joker." There is also a reference to action movie star Dolph Lundgren, who broke into the big screen with a major role as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.

The song serves as a stepping stone for what may turn out to be an excellent year for the artist, with an album anticipated for later this year, his continued efforts with exercise on social media, and the so far postponed tour with frequent collaborator and friend Mayhem Lauren. The rapper's recent forays into film with 2019’s The Irishman, and his departure from Vice, may indicate that the rapper, actor, and former gourmet chef will be going full force with his trademark reference-studded lyrics, catchy beats, and ability to diversify into other media, despite the ongoing pandemic.

You can watch the music video for “Latin Grammys” on Action Bronsons official YouTube channel, via the link below.

Written by Phillip McQuade

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