About Notorious

Notorious is a dramatic biographical film that was released in 2009. It tells the story of Christopher Wallace, widely known as The Notorious B.I.G., a world-renowned rapper from New York City. The film portrays his quick rise to fame, the conflict between east and west coast rap, and his relationship with Tupac Shakur.

Making / Production

This George Tillman Jnr directed film is a Fox Searchlight Pictures production. It took years to develop, aiming to portray a genuine representation of Notorious B.I.G's life. The movie production was tasked with assembling a cast that could re-create the dynamic period of the 1990s rap music scene.

Actors

• Jamal Woolard as Christopher Wallace / Notorious B.I.G - Woolard was chosen for the role even prior to his formal audition, thanks to his uncanny resemblance and understanding of Wallace's demeanor and style.
• Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur - Mackie brought a heartfelt performance to illustrate the complex relationship between Shakur and Wallace.
• Derek Luke as Sean Combs / Puff Daddy - Luke convincingly portrayed Combs as Wallace's mentor and presented an insightful view into his life in the hip-hop industry.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The actor who played Notorious B.I.G., Jamal Woolard, is a rapper in real life under the stage name "Gravy."
• The movie received a lot of positive attention from the rapping community, including approval and support from Wallace's mother.
• Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs was one of the film's producers and provided a great deal of insider information for the production.

Awards

The film did not win any major awards but it was nominated for Outstanding Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards, and Jamal Woolard was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture.

Quotes

• "I'm just trying to make music that makes people feel good and feel better." - Christopher Wallace.
• "You can't change the world unless we change ourselves." - Christopher Wallace.

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie soundtrack was released by Bad Boy Records and featured songs from The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Faith Evans, and others.
• One of the most popular tracks on the soundtrack is "One More Chance / The Legacy Remix" by The Notorious B.I.G.