Action Bronson Essentials

When this chef left the kitchen for a latter-day New York hip-hop scene that had been stuck in the staid and serious, he brought along his absurdist wit. Chance the Rapper joins him on “Baby Blue” for a cheery, piano-driven pop jam about a relationship's comic struggles. "Muslim Wedding," meanwhile, features a nimble flow and disorienting production that gives his oddball lyrics a surreal quality. On "Strictly 4 My Jeeps," Bronson floats effortlessly over a classic breakbeat with its sagging, strutting groove—a tribute to old New York that still sounds modern.