Before you even press play on Saab Stories, you're confronted by the unsettling dichotomy within Action Bronson: The Flushing rapper has a tremendous ear for beats, but hes also tone deaf. Following full-length collaborations with Statik Selektah, Party Supplies, and Alchemist, Saab Stories matches Bronson with Harry Fraud, a guy who can play both sides of the underground/Hot 97 divide with beats as rugged and plush as a sheepskin shearling. But at a time when Rick Ross verse on U.O.E.N.O., Tyler, the Creators anti-feminist rant in Australia and certain lyrics on Yeezus have resulted in real backlash throughout a wide swath of hip-hop and an opportunity to ask tough questions about the genre's pervasive attitudes towards women, Bronson chooses that artwork. Repellant as it is, its also not the least bit surprising: If youve heard more than five minutes of Action Bronsons music, you'll be aware of his attitude towards women, and Asian prostitutes in particular. So while his prodigious talents as a rapper ensure you might enjoy Saab Stories on a purely musical level, its unlikely youll feel better when its over.
