Meet the Magnetic Rapping Chef Known as Action Bronson (Created April 24, 2013)

The running joke in music could be that a different mold was made at the birth of Arian Asllani, AKA Action Bronson. An Albanian rapper and a trained chef, he has clearly taken one of the most unusual paths to becoming a respected musician.

Taking his stage name from infamous Chicago gangster William "Action" Jackson and actor Charles Bronson, Asllani trained at the Art Institute of New York City, then went to work at a handful of different restaurants around the five boroughs. He also hosted an online cooking show called "Action in the Kitchen," but eventually gained fame for transforming his culinary ingredients into rhymes.

Oft compared to rapper Ghostface Killah (with whom he collaborated in 2011), Bronson released his debut studio album "Dr. Lecter" in 2011, and immediately became known as the chubby rapper with an undeniable appeal and magnetism. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive this project and the follow-up, "Well Done," and he was later featured twice on Domo Genesis's & The Alchemist's debut collaboration album "No Idols" on the tracks "Elimination Chamber" and "Daily News."

In August of 2012, Bronson announced via Twitter that he had signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records via media company VICE. He also announced he would work exclusively with NUE Agency for concert bookings. Six months later, it was noted that Bronson would be part of XXL Magazine's 2013 Freshman Class. That published April 22, with the big man announcing there would be plenty more Action Bronson in the coming months.