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Biggie Smalls biopic casts lead

Mar 5, 2008, 10:01 PM | by Nicole Sperling

Categories: Movie Biz

Gravy_l Rapper Jamal Woolard (a.k.a. Gravy, pictured) has landed the lead in the biopic Notorious, based on the life of rapper Notorious B.I.G., killed in 1997. Woolard won the role after a nationwide search that began online in August, and stars Angela Bassett, who plays Biggie's mom, Voletta Wallace; Anthony Mackie (We Are Marshall), who's been cast as Wallace's rival Tupac Shakur; and Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher) as Sean Combs. George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor) will direct the Fox Searchlight film, which begins shooting March 24 in New York City. Woolard gained notoriety in 2006 when he was shot in the buttocks on his way to an interview at NYC radio station Hot 97. He finished the appearance before being taken to the hospital. Ouch.

Carl Mon, Aug 18, 2008 at 02:59 PM EST

Christopher Wallace went to PRIVATE SCHOOL as did TUPAC Shakur. These guys were great artists, and some of biggie's street rhymes were better than what was on wax. Tupac was a great positive motivational public speaker, but to idealize them for their CHOSEN (not completely, but for the most part) involvement in THUG LIFE and involvement in crime is inacurate. It doesn't show what intellegence they posessed. And that is a problem with the hip hop culture being ashamed of intellegence, as if it makes you soft/worthless/weak/unpopular/unsexy.
Both were good kids who went "gangsta" because that's were hip hop was hiding during that time.

Spooks NY Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 03:48 PM EST

I wonder what songs is gonna b in da movie

smk Mon, May 12, 2008 at 07:38 PM EST

Heiei, you obviously have never listened to Notorious. To disrespect arguably the best rapper of all time because of a lifestyle thats almost impossible to escape under the circumstances he was brought up in is just plain disresepectful. I think your also forgetting he was 24 when he was murdered, not exactly a senior citizen. He should be revered for the music he made, not for his lifestyle. You need to drop your ignorance and appreciate all forms of music.

Tiffany Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

I'm happy for gravy he finally got a break...

Tiffany Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

I'm happy for gravy he finally got a break...

effiong Fri, Mar 7, 2008 at 03:18 PM EST

well looks abit like the real thing but the question is this an he put himself in em big shoes?

Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 07:39 PM EST

I fail to see why these rappers are revered, worshiped, immortalized all the time. They're put on the same kind of plane as Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, etc. Nobody seems to care that they were killed because they were involved in gangs and illegal activities. Plus, were they really that great as artists? I guess I have a hard time putting rap on the same level as actual music.

heiei Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 07:07 PM EST

I saw this guy a couple of weeks ago via webcam. I was contacted by him first on a celeb site called 'Searching Millionaire DOTcom'! I also got several of his pix.

krayzeman Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 01:22 PM EST

Interesting...

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