Tom Hardy may be most familiar as a film star who portrays physically imposing characters, but he has carried that same intensity into his latest musical release. Recording under the name Frankie Pulitzer, the actor has released a joint album titled “Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer” with underground rap supergroup Czarface, whose members include 7L & Esoteric and Wu Tang Clan rapper Inspectah Deck.
Listeners familiar with Hardy’s acting career will notice numerous references to movies and comic books throughout his lyrics. Comic book culture is familiar territory for the actor, who portrayed Bane in the 2012 film “The Dark Knight Rises.” He also played the Spider Man antihero Venom across three solo films before making a cameo in “Spider Man: No Way Home.”
On “Raw Forever,” Hardy fills his contribution with nods to Martin Scorsese’s 1999 movie “Bringing Out the Dead,” Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin in 2002’s “Spider Man,” Marvel villain Doctor Doom, DC Comics character Sergeant Rock and Sidney Lumet’s celebrated 1975 film “Dog Day Afternoon.”
I’m Bringing Out the Dead like a paramedic out the Cage, directed by Marty
Frank Pierce the gang’s here welcome to the party
I be somewhat of a scientist like Willem Dafoe
If you know then you know
Goblin up crumbs
Hit ’em with the fly kill ’em with the low
Profile, no smile, exile the old style
So vile, exhale the smoke cloud, blow trial
Dog Day Afternoon
When I talk Sgt. Rock on the block with the Glock aftershock from the boom
Rip you out your costume
Stuff you in the smallest locker, lock you in the locker room
Doctor Doom how I’m the Victor the Scripture
The track “Mad Technology” finds Hardy mentioning two Stephen King novels that became movies, “Cujo” and “Misery,” before delivering an explicit line involving the latter film’s star, Kathy Bates. His verse also gives a nod to Marvel superhero Thor and later mentions Shameik Moore, who voices Miles Morales in the “Spider Verse” movies and appeared in the drama “Dope.”
You shit-for-brain no-name lame, that bites like Cujo
I’d rather masturbate to Kathy Bates than hear you flow
And you know that Misery, it loves company
…
Beatin’ P is not an easy chore like defeating Thor
…
Sprinkle Dope Across the Verse, shout to Shameik Moore
As “Grim Visaged War” reaches its conclusion, Hardy performs the famous “Richard III” monologue by Shakespeare. His delivery closely resembles the distinctive voice he used while portraying Bane.
Another cinematic reference appears on “Gnawing at My Rhyme Like a Poisonous Rat,” where Hardy works “Titanic” and Leonardo DiCaprio into his verse.
Yo, you act amused like DiCaprio scratching his pencils
To capture your figure you love the attention that’s all clear
Hardy has yet to publicly discuss his music as Frankie Pulitzer, though rapping is hardly a new pursuit for him. He previously contributed to other Czarface records and has also released several standalone collaborative tracks.
Around the beginning of the millennium, Hardy recorded an album titled “Falling on Your Arse in 1999” using the name Tommy No 1. He created the project alongside his producer friend Edward Tracy, who performs as Eddie Too Tall. Although the album never received an official release, it eventually surfaced online in 2018.
