Xzibit Kingmaker 2 still needs to drop!

CZARFACE Meets Frankie Pulitzer sounds like a novelty on paper: actor Tom Hardy stepping into a full CZARFACE album, but it plays like the real thing. Fifteen tracks, handmade boom-bap, comic-book grit, and three MCs trading bars with genuine chemistry.

CZARFACE has been a Boston-New York unit since 2013: 7L & Esoteric linked with Wu-Tang's Inspectah Deck, and their catalog, including standout collabs with MF DOOM and Kool Keith, has stayed consistently strong. Hardy's rap history predates his acting fame; he recorded as Tommy No 1 in the late '90s before resurfacing as Frankie Pulitzer (aka FacePuller) on prior CZARFACE cuts. This is his first full-length as a (co-)lead MC.

The Czar-Keys (7L & Spada4) handle all production, sticking to their formula of dusty breaks, comic-sourced audio snippets, and cinematic synths that never feel machine-made. Guest spots elevate the record: Busta Rhymes turns up the intensity on "Raw Forever," Method Man joins Deck for a Wu-Tang reunion on "Mad Technology," El-P brings sharp cultural commentary to "Dragon Cannon," and Kendra Morris offers a melodic breather on "Frankie."

Hardy leans on film and literary references, Scorsese, King, a surprising Kathy Bates line, without overdoing it, and his Bane-voiced Shakespeare recitation on "Grim-Visaged War" somehow works. Deck stays grounded in grind-and-receipts realism; Esoteric adds self-aware reflection on obsession and craft. A throughline about respecting the work and getting paid for it runs across cuts like "Dragon Cannon" and "Paul Bufano Type Beat."

At 47 minutes, the album is tight, purposeful, and cohesive. Deck and Eso anchor it, and Hardy earns his spot rather than riding on star power. A genuine addition to CZARFACE's run of strong collaborative records. Real Hip Hop for real heads.

lol it's scarface .. when has quik had a chance to work on something like this?


it would arguably be the biggest move of his career ..... no way he doesn't push for this to happen and drop ASAP


if it's even a real thing

Kurupt & Battlecat is the best album in 2026 for westcoast heads 😉
Like i am. Front 2 Back it s dope.
This DPG / Wu Tang is dope too but more eastcoast as expected like Sccit said