Rating: 8 / 10
From his enunciation sounding like that of Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah, to his credentials as a street gourmet chef, to his Jewish-Albanian heritage that he frequently mentions, Action Bronson is everything but a typical rapper. Although his discography seems shorter than most, his latest collaboration project with Statik Selektah proves that there’s more to him that initially meets the eye. Well Done shows both Bronson and Statik at their best, and the chemistry shown throughout makes me hope for more joint ventures in the future.
It can’t be understated how comfortable Action Bronson sounds alongside Statik Selektah for the entire duration of Well Done. It’s also impressive how dynamic the production sounds; the soundscape stays true to the “pure” sounds of Hip-Hop music without ever becoming bland or uninteresting. And, for each beat that’s put on, Bronson accurately matches it with his flow. At times, he sounds like Big Pun. At other times, he sounds a lot like Ghostface. But regardless of whom he may sound like, his lyrics are unfaltering as he assaults every instrumental he touches with stand-up lyrics and solid bars (and yes, some of them are food-related).
The features here are kept light, but they fit well and don’t seem to be forced. Bronson sounds perfect alongside Lil’ Fame of M.O.P. on “Time For Some,” Nina Sky’s vocals help to smooth out “Cocoa Butter” and its samples, and the obligatory posse cut (“Terror Death Camp”) is also executed rather nicely. Well Done is a great entry into Statik and Bronson’s catalog, and it would be a shame if people slept on this one. If you have the opportunity, definitely give this a listen.
K1ng Eljay is the founder of his site, K1ngEljay.com, as well as a contributor to GoWhereHipHop and editor for RapGenius.com. You can contact him via his Twitter (@K1ngEljay) for more.
