Tom Hardy surprises fans with wild new rap album as Frankie Pulitzer

Tom Hardy brings film references and Shakespeare to his rap alias Frankie Pulitzer on a new album with Czarface

Tom Hardy is bringing his love of film, comics and Shakespeare to music with his latest project as rapper Frankie Pulitzer. The actor has released Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer, a collaborative album with underground hip-hop group Czarface.

Czarface consists of 7L & Esoteric and Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck. Hardy has previously collaborated with the group and has continued to explore rap alongside his acting career.

The new album features several references to Hardy’s Hollywood connections and popular culture. On "Raw Forever", he references Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin from Spider-Man, Marvel villain Doctor Doom, DC Comics character Sergeant Rock and Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon.

Hardy also references Stephen King adaptations in "Mad Technology", naming Cujo and Misery. The track includes a provocative reference to Misery star Kathy Bates, alongside mentions of Marvel superhero Thor and actor Shameik Moore, who voices Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse films. 

The actor’s connection to comic book characters also extends to his film career. Hardy played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and Eddie Brock and Venom across three Venom films, as well as appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

On "Grim-Visaged War", Hardy takes a different approach by reciting the well-known "Richard III" monologue by William Shakespeare. His delivery reportedly recalls his performance as Bane.

Hardy has not publicly discussed the new album extensively, but his musical history stretches back decades. He previously recorded an unreleased album titled Falling on Your Arse in 1999 under the name Tommy No 1 with producer Edward Tracy, also known as Eddie Too Tall. The project appeared online in 2018 after never receiving an official release.