Tom Hardy has caught fans off guard with a career move few saw coming.
The “Venom” actor has released a full-length rap album under his mysterious alter ego, Frankie Pulitzer.
Hardy teamed up with underground hip-hop group Czarface for the 15-track project “Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer,” which was released on August 28.
The album marks a major moment for Hardy, who has quietly explored rap for years but has largely kept that side of his creativity away from his Hollywood career.
This time, he has gone all in.
The project features heavyweight names including Busta Rhymes, Method Man and El-P, giving Hardy plenty of hip-hop credibility as he steps further into the music world.
But Hardy has not completely left Hollywood behind.
He brings his acting persona into the music, mixing movie and comic-book references into his lyrics.
One of the biggest surprises comes on “Grim-Visaged War,” where he delivers a Shakespeare monologue from “Richard III” in the deep voice fans associate with Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises.”
The album also features references to Marvel characters, Stephen King and several films, creating a strange but entertaining combination of Hardy’s acting world and his love for hip-hop.
Hardy’s rap journey did not start with this album.
He has used the Frankie Pulitzer name before and had already worked with Czarface, but “Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer” gives the character his biggest platform yet.
For fans who have spent years watching Hardy play tough Hollywood characters, hearing him take on rappers such as Busta Rhymes and Method Man is certainly an unexpected twist.
Tom Hardy may have built his name as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors, but Frankie Pulitzer shows he has another creative side that he is finally ready to put in the spotlight.