A decade and a year ago one of Hip-Hop’s most illustrious talents, known to many as the greatest rapper of all time, was gunned down in Los Angeles, California. The short life and untimely death of Christopher Wallace, b.k.a “The Notorious B.I.G.” has been captured in the upcoming Fox Searchlight biopic Notorious. The film, set to be released around Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday weekend of 2009, takes us through Big Poppa’s childhood, involvement in the infamous 1980’s crack epidemic, his love life and rise and early tragic fall in the music industry.

 Notorious has a two minute and thirty-six second long trailer currently available for viewing on Youtube. For the hardcore B.I.G fans including myself who felt that two albums( well one album and a double disc album) weren’t quite enough, we finally get to have a closer glimpse into one of the most charismatic, humorous, witty and talented artists the world has ever seen.

 Biggie is portrayed in the film by Hollywood newcomer and fellow Brooklyn native, rapper Jamal Woolard a.k.a. Gravy. Hip-Hop heads might remember Gravy as the emcee that got shot in the rear outside of the New York radio station Hot 97 in 2006. Judging by the preview Woolard looks to be the perfect leading role for Notorious. From his size and voice, even to his emulation of B.I.G.’s signature mannerisms, including that sly smile he flashes a couple of times during the trailer, he seems the right fit for that “larger than life” persona.

Biggie’s flamboyant partner-in-crime and BadBoy Records CEO P.Diddy (back in the 90’s known simply as Puff Daddy) is played by none other than Mr. Antwan Fisher himself actor Derek Luke. This also looks to be another good cast with Luke sporting those expensive minks, shiny suits, neatly groomed goatee and giving out that redundant “take-that”. Sean Combs himself approved the young actor telling MTV News “I had to leave, cause he was acting just like me.”

But one question that has boggled my mind is: Why now? Biggie died over eleven years ago in March 1997, so why wait until January 2009 to put such an influential individual’s life on the big screen? Another issue that has set a little uneasy with me is the small amount of promotion the film is receiving. Even on Fox Searchlight’s Youtube page the trailer has gotten only a little over one hundred and twenty thousand hits.

Director George Tillman, known more for his movie production than directing, will be completing his fifth directorial film and first actual Hip-Hop film. This is the guy that brought us the urban classic Soul Food, so he knows a little about making great movies. Many of the Hip-Hop films that have been released in the past three years including: Get Rich Or Die Trying starring Fifty Cent and ATL starring T.I. have seen a reasonable amount of success. Hopefully the Notorious movie will exceed all expectations and paint a vivid portrait of Christopher Wallace’s life and career. If nothing else, the one thing that the film will solidify is the fact that still remains to this day… We’ll always love Big Poppa.

 -Notorious in theaters 1.16.09-

This story is filed under: Entertainment