Notorious (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Notorious is a 2009
American biographical film
about the life of iconic hip hop star The Notorious B.I.G.
who is played by Jamal Woolard
. The film co-stars Angela Bassett
as his mother Voletta Wallace, Derek Luke
as Sean Combs
, and Anthony Mackie
as Tupac Shakur
. Other roles include Naturi Naughton
as Lil' Kim
and Antonique Smith
as Faith Evans
.
The film was released in American theaters on January 16, 2009, by Fox Searchlight Pictures
. The Film's MPAA rating is R for pervasive language, some strong sexuality including dialogue, nudity, and for drug content.
(Jamal Woolard
) is seen sitting at his chair smoking. People, including Faith Evans
(Antonique Smith
) and Sean "Puffy" Combs (Derek Luke
), move to the music on the dance floor. Moments later, Biggie, Puffy, and friends are driving away from the party. They stop at a red light while Lil' Cease
, (Marc John Jefferies
) is flirting with women outside. A black Chevrolet Impala
then pulls up and a single shot is seen being fired at Biggie.
The film then flashes back to Biggie's childhood in 1983, recounting his tough upbringing in Brooklyn. Christopher (Christopher "CJ" Wallace, Jr.) writes several rap songs, enduring the ridicule of some classmates. Christopher then starts selling drugs at the height of the crack epidemic. In 1990 Biggie finds out from his girlfriend, Jan, that she is pregnant. Biggie, distraught, begins to take his drug dealing more seriously, and makes plans with his friend D-Roc (played by Dennis L.A. White
) to expand their operations. After gaining recognition in the area for his rapping skills, Biggie eventually takes part in a rap battle, which he subsequently wins. After the battle, Biggie meets Kim Jones
(Naturi Naughton
) for the first time. Kim is attracted to Biggie instantly and they later have sex in her apartment. However, Kim is afraid to enter into a new relationship because of a past relationship in which she was abused. Biggie assures her that she can trust him and they begin dating (despite the fact that he is still together with his previous girlfriend Jan). Prior to this, Biggie's mother, Voletta (Angela Bassett
), throws him out of the house after discovering his involvement with drugs and his girlfriend Jan's accidental pregnancy.
Biggie then lives in a crack house with four young drug dealers working for him, eventually ending up with a substantial amount of money. However, Biggie is soon caught in possession of weapons and cocaine, and as a result is sentenced to two years of jail time with his bail set at $250,000. After serving nine months in prison before making bail, Biggie comes home to see his mother, girlfriend Jan (Julia Pace Mitchell
), and their recently born daughter, T'yanna (Taylor Dior). After reconciling with his mother, he goes to find D-Roc and Lil' Cease, then records a demo called "Microphone Murderer". Shortly thereafter, Biggie meets Sean Combs
, an ambitious producer for Uptown Records
. Puffy promises Biggie that he will sign him to a record deal. However, Puffy reveals that he will only accept Biggie on the condition that he gives up drug dealing, which Biggie agrees to. Biggie then learns that Puffy has lost his job at Uptown Records. Frustrated and upset, Biggie nearly ruins his chances, when Biggie and his friend, D-Roc, have a run-in with the police which results in Biggie throwing his illegal gun into the bushes. After a brief chase, they are caught by the police. The officer gives the two a minute to decide who will take the fall. Biggie, who has had prior runs in with the law, would be required to serve five to six years in prison. If D-Roc, who has a clean record, pleas guilty for the charge, he will only get 3 years and a day in prison. Because of this, D-Roc eventually decides to "take the fall" for the both of them, believing that Biggie can succeed as a rapper.
When Biggie and Mark Pitts talk to Voletta about Biggie's rap career, Voletta asks Mark to leave so that she can speak to Biggie in private. She then reveals to Biggie that she is suffering from breast cancer. Biggie becomes depressed, but soon recovers when Puffy begins his own record label, Bad Boy Records
, and signs him. Biggie begins recording songs for his first album, Ready to Die
, soon thereafter. He records his first single, "Machine Gun Funk"; Puffy suggests there's another song that Biggie can record. The track is called "Juicy
".
Biggie then meets singer Faith Evans while at a Bad Boy photo-shoot, who he begins to court. They begin a relationship, and then get married, soon after. Meanwhile, Biggie continues to ignore ex-girlfriend Jan and their daughter. When Faith suspects Biggie is cheating on her, she goes to confront him at his hotel room, seeing him with another unknown woman. The two later reconcile despite the fact that tensions between him, Faith, Jan, and Lil' Kim, yet another of Biggie's paramours, continue to grow.
Biggie begins a friendship with rapper/actor Tupac Shakur
(Anthony Mackie
). Biggie celebrates his album Ready To Die with Tupac, admiring the other rapper. When Tupac is shot in Quad Studios, however, he blames Puffy, Biggie, and Bad Boy Records for setting him up. At The Source Awards in 1995, Death Row Records
executive, Suge Knight
, makes a speech "dissing" Puffy and Bad Boy Records, claiming Death Row is the better label. Soon the disagreement escalates into the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry and attacks are made on both sides. At the 1996 Soul Train Award in LA, Biggie receives a death threat from an unknown black man in a call. At the afterparty, Tupac and Suge verbally assault Biggie, but leave when Biggie's security threatens them with a pistol. A track called "Who Shot Ya?
" is later released, which some have interpreted as a diss directed at Tupac. Biggie and Puffy claim that "Who Shot Ya?" was recorded before Tupac was shot, although Suge Knight and Tupac claim otherwise. Tupac then comes out with "Hit 'Em Up
" which disses Biggie and alleges a sexual liaison with Faith Evans. After seeing a magazine photo of Tupac and Faith hugging each other, Biggie interrupts an interview that is being conducted between Faith, chasing after her. Faith hides from Biggie and Biggie is forced to leave by one of his managers, Mark Pitts (Kevin Phillips
). Later, Faith explains that she and Tupac met at the House of Blues
and simply took a picture. She then ends her relationship with Biggie, despite his attempts at reconciliation.
The East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry continues, with Biggie, Puffy & Bad Boy Records doing a tour in L.A. While Big performs the song, "Gimme The Loot," the fans are booing Biggie, and throwing up West Coast Signs, representing Tupac. Biggie, who had enough, fires back with, "Who Shot Ya," which gets the crowd wild up, which Puffy did not want Big to sing that song. The beef continues until September 1996 when Tupac is murdered in Las Vegas. Sometime afterwards, Biggie calls his mother, Voletta. Voletta states that Tupac was probably killed as a result of their quarrels. Not only is Biggie shaken by Tupac's untimely death, he continues to have relationship problems with Faith, Jan and Lil' Kim. Biggie attempts to resolve these issues by meeting with Jan and their daughter more often.
Biggie and D-Roc renew their friendship after D-Roc is released from prison. Biggie states that he's done with the rap game, a small emphasis upon the apparent change of heart that he had while in the hospital (he was injured in a car accident). Biggie decides to go to Los Angeles to promote his upcoming album Life After Death
and brings D-Roc and Lil' Cease with him. The three men, along with Puffy and Faith, all travel to Los Angeles. Biggie gets several death threats. After calling Lil' Kim to apologize and to set up a meeting with her, the film returns to the beginning scene, where Biggie is shot. A few days later Voletta, Puffy, Lil' Cease, D-Roc, Lil' Kim, Faith and others all grieve over the death of Biggie at the funeral. Later, Biggie's hearse is driven down the city's street while hundreds of fans are lined up. Someone in the crowd turns on their radio and they play his song "Hypnotize
" and the crowd begins dancing and jumping around to it.
was originally set to direct before director George Tillman, Jr.
signed on to helm the project. The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
. Producers on Notorious include Sean Combs
, Voletta Wallace and Biggie's former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.
auditioned for the role but was not picked. Eventually it was announced that rapper Jamal "Gravy" Woolard
was cast as Biggie. Other cast members include Angela Bassett
as Voletta Wallace, Derek Luke
as Sean Combs
, Antonique Smith
as Faith Evans
, Naturi Naughton
formerly of 3LW
as Lil' Kim
and Anthony Mackie
as Tupac Shakur
.
noted that 50% of film reviewers gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 131 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10 indicating "Rotten" reviews. Rotten Tomatoes' consensus is that Notorious is "a biopic that lacks the luster of its subject" and a "generic rise-and-fall fare that still functions as a primer for those less familiar with the work and life of the hip hop icon." The "Top Critics" currently rate the film at 61% based on a sample of 33 reviews as of January 15, 2009. At Metacritic
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received a 61 based on a sample of 31 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews." Roger Ebert gave the film 3 1/2 Stars (out of four), applauding the film focusing on Christopher Wallace and not his rapping persona.
weekend. As of April 2, 2009, the film has grossed $36,843,682 in the United States alone and $6,207,865 internationally to bring the overall total to over $43,051,547.
was not happy about how she was portrayed in the film, saying "Regardless of the many lies in the movie and false portrayal of me to help carry a story line through, I will still continue to carry his legacy through my hard work and music." She felt the producers were more interested in the "character" than the actual her. Lil' Kim scenes contained a lot of nudity and sexuality. The film's producers downplayed her comments.
, they got Dre
, they got Cube, they killin' it. The East Coast is just lookin' for someone to fill that void." At the time, Dr. Dre was known mainly as a member of N.W.A.
and would not release his first solo album, The Chronic
, until December of that year. Also, Snoop Dogg was not widely known until his appearance on The Chronic, although he did appear with Dre on the Deep Cover
soundtrack in 1992. At the time of Biggie and Puffy's first meeting, no one would have cited Dre and Snoop as major players in West Coast hip-hop.
Also, another scene involving Biggie being kicked out of class, and meeting his girlfriend in a restaurant, where his girlfriend, Jan, says she's pregnant with Biggie's daughter in 1990, and born by the time Biggie is released from jail. In real life, Biggie's daughter, T'yanna, was born in 1993, nine months after her father was locked up.
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
American biographical film
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
about the life of iconic hip hop star The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
who is played by Jamal Woolard
Jamal Woolard
Jamal Woolard is an American rapper and actor best known for portraying The Notorious B.I.G. in the biopic Notorious.Woolard, like Christopher Wallace , is from Brooklyn, specifically L.G., Lafayette Gardens. In real life he raps under the name "Gravy"...
. The film co-stars Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett
Angela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
as his mother Voletta Wallace, Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
as Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, and Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie is an American actor. He has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier's Play, and Talk, by Carl Hancock Rux, for which he won an Obie Award in 2002.In 2002 he featured...
as Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
. Other roles include Naturi Naughton
Naturi Naughton
Naturi Cora Maria Naughton is an American singer, rapper and actress best known for formerly being one-third of the R&B trio 3LW, and the starring role of Denise in the remake of Fame.- Early life :...
as Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
and Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith is an American Broadway, film actress and singer.-Life and career:Smith was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Smith is best known for her starring roles as Maureen and Mimi in Jonathan Larson's Broadway production of Rent. She was also the poster girl for Rent, displayed on taxi...
as Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
.
The film was released in American theaters on January 16, 2009, by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures, established in 1998, is a film division of Fox Filmed Entertainment alongside the larger Fox studio 20th Century Fox...
. The Film's MPAA rating is R for pervasive language, some strong sexuality including dialogue, nudity, and for drug content.
Plot
The film opens at a party in Los Angeles in March 1997. Biggie SmallsThe Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
(Jamal Woolard
Jamal Woolard
Jamal Woolard is an American rapper and actor best known for portraying The Notorious B.I.G. in the biopic Notorious.Woolard, like Christopher Wallace , is from Brooklyn, specifically L.G., Lafayette Gardens. In real life he raps under the name "Gravy"...
) is seen sitting at his chair smoking. People, including Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
(Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith is an American Broadway, film actress and singer.-Life and career:Smith was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Smith is best known for her starring roles as Maureen and Mimi in Jonathan Larson's Broadway production of Rent. She was also the poster girl for Rent, displayed on taxi...
) and Sean "Puffy" Combs (Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
), move to the music on the dance floor. Moments later, Biggie, Puffy, and friends are driving away from the party. They stop at a red light while Lil' Cease
Lil' Cease
James Lloyd, is an American rapper and member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A..Cease's first album release was Conspiracy with the Junior M.A.F.I.A in 1995....
, (Marc John Jefferies
Marc John Jefferies
Marc John Jefferies is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Derrick Mitchell on the NBC sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show, and as Darius on Treme, the HBO drama series set in post-Katrina New Orleans.-Career:Jefferies debuted as the title character "Isaiah",...
) is flirting with women outside. A black Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
then pulls up and a single shot is seen being fired at Biggie.
The film then flashes back to Biggie's childhood in 1983, recounting his tough upbringing in Brooklyn. Christopher (Christopher "CJ" Wallace, Jr.) writes several rap songs, enduring the ridicule of some classmates. Christopher then starts selling drugs at the height of the crack epidemic. In 1990 Biggie finds out from his girlfriend, Jan, that she is pregnant. Biggie, distraught, begins to take his drug dealing more seriously, and makes plans with his friend D-Roc (played by Dennis L.A. White
Dennis L.A. White
Dennis L.A. White is an American stage and screen actor noted for portraying Damion 'D-Roc' Butler in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, Notorious.[1][3] In 2010, he portrayed a cancer stricken comedian in Marq Overton's Die Laughing, a stage play produced by Diversity Players of Harlem and Shawn Luckey,...
) to expand their operations. After gaining recognition in the area for his rapping skills, Biggie eventually takes part in a rap battle, which he subsequently wins. After the battle, Biggie meets Kim Jones
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
(Naturi Naughton
Naturi Naughton
Naturi Cora Maria Naughton is an American singer, rapper and actress best known for formerly being one-third of the R&B trio 3LW, and the starring role of Denise in the remake of Fame.- Early life :...
) for the first time. Kim is attracted to Biggie instantly and they later have sex in her apartment. However, Kim is afraid to enter into a new relationship because of a past relationship in which she was abused. Biggie assures her that she can trust him and they begin dating (despite the fact that he is still together with his previous girlfriend Jan). Prior to this, Biggie's mother, Voletta (Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett
Angela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
), throws him out of the house after discovering his involvement with drugs and his girlfriend Jan's accidental pregnancy.
Biggie then lives in a crack house with four young drug dealers working for him, eventually ending up with a substantial amount of money. However, Biggie is soon caught in possession of weapons and cocaine, and as a result is sentenced to two years of jail time with his bail set at $250,000. After serving nine months in prison before making bail, Biggie comes home to see his mother, girlfriend Jan (Julia Pace Mitchell
Julia Pace Mitchell
Julia Pace Mitchell is an American actress.Pace-Mitchell is the daughter of former TV actress Judy Pace and actor Don Mitchell. She most recently played the role of Jan in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, Notorious, opposite newcoming actor Jamal Woolard who portrays the title character...
), and their recently born daughter, T'yanna (Taylor Dior). After reconciling with his mother, he goes to find D-Roc and Lil' Cease, then records a demo called "Microphone Murderer". Shortly thereafter, Biggie meets Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, an ambitious producer for Uptown Records
Uptown Records
Uptown Records was an American record label, founded by Andre Harrell in 1986. It went on to become one of the most popular Hip-Hop and R&B labels of the late 1980's and early 1990s. Featured on the roster were such luminaries as Guy, Heavy D & The Boyz, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, and Soul for Real...
. Puffy promises Biggie that he will sign him to a record deal. However, Puffy reveals that he will only accept Biggie on the condition that he gives up drug dealing, which Biggie agrees to. Biggie then learns that Puffy has lost his job at Uptown Records. Frustrated and upset, Biggie nearly ruins his chances, when Biggie and his friend, D-Roc, have a run-in with the police which results in Biggie throwing his illegal gun into the bushes. After a brief chase, they are caught by the police. The officer gives the two a minute to decide who will take the fall. Biggie, who has had prior runs in with the law, would be required to serve five to six years in prison. If D-Roc, who has a clean record, pleas guilty for the charge, he will only get 3 years and a day in prison. Because of this, D-Roc eventually decides to "take the fall" for the both of them, believing that Biggie can succeed as a rapper.
When Biggie and Mark Pitts talk to Voletta about Biggie's rap career, Voletta asks Mark to leave so that she can speak to Biggie in private. She then reveals to Biggie that she is suffering from breast cancer. Biggie becomes depressed, but soon recovers when Puffy begins his own record label, Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
, and signs him. Biggie begins recording songs for his first album, Ready to Die
Ready to Die
Ready to Die is the debut album of American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released September 13, 1994 on Bad Boy Records. The first release on the label, it features production by record producer and Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse,...
, soon thereafter. He records his first single, "Machine Gun Funk"; Puffy suggests there's another song that Biggie can record. The track is called "Juicy
Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)
"Juicy" is a song by hip hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. and his solo debut single from his 1994 debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Poke of Trackmasters & Sean "Puffy" Combs. Its melody is sampled from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit", and has an alternative chorus sung by R&B girl group Total...
".
Biggie then meets singer Faith Evans while at a Bad Boy photo-shoot, who he begins to court. They begin a relationship, and then get married, soon after. Meanwhile, Biggie continues to ignore ex-girlfriend Jan and their daughter. When Faith suspects Biggie is cheating on her, she goes to confront him at his hotel room, seeing him with another unknown woman. The two later reconcile despite the fact that tensions between him, Faith, Jan, and Lil' Kim, yet another of Biggie's paramours, continue to grow.
Biggie begins a friendship with rapper/actor Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
(Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie is an American actor. He has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier's Play, and Talk, by Carl Hancock Rux, for which he won an Obie Award in 2002.In 2002 he featured...
). Biggie celebrates his album Ready To Die with Tupac, admiring the other rapper. When Tupac is shot in Quad Studios, however, he blames Puffy, Biggie, and Bad Boy Records for setting him up. At The Source Awards in 1995, Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
executive, Suge Knight
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
, makes a speech "dissing" Puffy and Bad Boy Records, claiming Death Row is the better label. Soon the disagreement escalates into the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry and attacks are made on both sides. At the 1996 Soul Train Award in LA, Biggie receives a death threat from an unknown black man in a call. At the afterparty, Tupac and Suge verbally assault Biggie, but leave when Biggie's security threatens them with a pistol. A track called "Who Shot Ya?
Who Shot Ya?
"Who Shot Ya?" is a controversial hip-hop song by The Notorious B.I.G., a B-side to his 1995 hit single, "Big Poppa". The track was later released on the posthumous Born Again, the remastered edition of Ready to Die, and The Greatest Hits....
" is later released, which some have interpreted as a diss directed at Tupac. Biggie and Puffy claim that "Who Shot Ya?" was recorded before Tupac was shot, although Suge Knight and Tupac claim otherwise. Tupac then comes out with "Hit 'Em Up
Hit 'Em Up
"Hit 'Em Up" is a diss song by rap artist 2Pac , featuring his group the Outlawz. It is the B-side to the single "How Do U Want It", released on June 4, 1996, from the album All Eyez on Me. The song’s lyrics contain vicious insults to several East Coast rappers, chiefly among them, Shakur's former...
" which disses Biggie and alleges a sexual liaison with Faith Evans. After seeing a magazine photo of Tupac and Faith hugging each other, Biggie interrupts an interview that is being conducted between Faith, chasing after her. Faith hides from Biggie and Biggie is forced to leave by one of his managers, Mark Pitts (Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (actor)
Kevin Phillips is an American film actor, best known for his leading role in Suna Gonera’s Pride , as well as his role in 2009's Notorious....
). Later, Faith explains that she and Tupac met at the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
and simply took a picture. She then ends her relationship with Biggie, despite his attempts at reconciliation.
The East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry continues, with Biggie, Puffy & Bad Boy Records doing a tour in L.A. While Big performs the song, "Gimme The Loot," the fans are booing Biggie, and throwing up West Coast Signs, representing Tupac. Biggie, who had enough, fires back with, "Who Shot Ya," which gets the crowd wild up, which Puffy did not want Big to sing that song. The beef continues until September 1996 when Tupac is murdered in Las Vegas. Sometime afterwards, Biggie calls his mother, Voletta. Voletta states that Tupac was probably killed as a result of their quarrels. Not only is Biggie shaken by Tupac's untimely death, he continues to have relationship problems with Faith, Jan and Lil' Kim. Biggie attempts to resolve these issues by meeting with Jan and their daughter more often.
Biggie and D-Roc renew their friendship after D-Roc is released from prison. Biggie states that he's done with the rap game, a small emphasis upon the apparent change of heart that he had while in the hospital (he was injured in a car accident). Biggie decides to go to Los Angeles to promote his upcoming album Life After Death
Life After Death
Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997 and serves as his final studio album...
and brings D-Roc and Lil' Cease with him. The three men, along with Puffy and Faith, all travel to Los Angeles. Biggie gets several death threats. After calling Lil' Kim to apologize and to set up a meeting with her, the film returns to the beginning scene, where Biggie is shot. A few days later Voletta, Puffy, Lil' Cease, D-Roc, Lil' Kim, Faith and others all grieve over the death of Biggie at the funeral. Later, Biggie's hearse is driven down the city's street while hundreds of fans are lined up. Someone in the crowd turns on their radio and they play his song "Hypnotize
Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)
"Hypnotize" is the Grammy-nominated hip-hop song recorded by rapper The Notorious B.I.G. It was released as the first single from his album Life After Death in December 13, 1996. It was the fifth song to hit #1 posthumously for a credited artist....
" and the crowd begins dancing and jumping around to it.
Development
Antoine FuquaAntoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua is an American film director. He directed the film Training Day as well as Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter and Brooklyn's Finest...
was originally set to direct before director George Tillman, Jr.
George Tillman, Jr.
George Tillman, Jr. is an American film director and producer. He attended John Marshall High School in Milwaukee, where he took Mass Communications magnet classes. He graduated from Columbia College in Chicago in 1991 with a major in Film and Video.Tillman is most notable for directing the films...
signed on to helm the project. The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures, established in 1998, is a film division of Fox Filmed Entertainment alongside the larger Fox studio 20th Century Fox...
. Producers on Notorious include Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, Voletta Wallace and Biggie's former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.
Casting
In early October 2007 open casting calls for the role of The Notorious B.I.G. began. Actors, rappers and unknowns all tried out. Rapper Beanie SigelBeanie Sigel
Dwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,most recently he was in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers...
auditioned for the role but was not picked. Eventually it was announced that rapper Jamal "Gravy" Woolard
Jamal Woolard
Jamal Woolard is an American rapper and actor best known for portraying The Notorious B.I.G. in the biopic Notorious.Woolard, like Christopher Wallace , is from Brooklyn, specifically L.G., Lafayette Gardens. In real life he raps under the name "Gravy"...
was cast as Biggie. Other cast members include Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett
Angela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
as Voletta Wallace, Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
as Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith
Antonique Smith is an American Broadway, film actress and singer.-Life and career:Smith was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Smith is best known for her starring roles as Maureen and Mimi in Jonathan Larson's Broadway production of Rent. She was also the poster girl for Rent, displayed on taxi...
as Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
, Naturi Naughton
Naturi Naughton
Naturi Cora Maria Naughton is an American singer, rapper and actress best known for formerly being one-third of the R&B trio 3LW, and the starring role of Denise in the remake of Fame.- Early life :...
formerly of 3LW
3LW
3LW was an American hip hop soul and R&B girl group that enjoyed a number of modest hits during the early 2000s. Its founding members were Naturi Naughton, Adrienne Bailon, and Kiely Williams. Jessica Benson later replaced Naughton after she left the group in 2002...
as Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
and Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie is an American actor. He has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier's Play, and Talk, by Carl Hancock Rux, for which he won an Obie Award in 2002.In 2002 he featured...
as Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
.
Cast
- Jamal WoolardJamal WoolardJamal Woolard is an American rapper and actor best known for portraying The Notorious B.I.G. in the biopic Notorious.Woolard, like Christopher Wallace , is from Brooklyn, specifically L.G., Lafayette Gardens. In real life he raps under the name "Gravy"...
as Christopher Wallace / Biggie Smalls / The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough... - Angela BassettAngela BassettAngela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
as Voletta Wallace - Christopher Wallace, Jr. as a young Christopher Wallace
- Derek LukeDerek LukeDerek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
as Sean CombsSean CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally... - Marc John JefferiesMarc John JefferiesMarc John Jefferies is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Derrick Mitchell on the NBC sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show, and as Darius on Treme, the HBO drama series set in post-Katrina New Orleans.-Career:Jefferies debuted as the title character "Isaiah",...
as Lil' CeaseLil' CeaseJames Lloyd, is an American rapper and member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A..Cease's first album release was Conspiracy with the Junior M.A.F.I.A in 1995.... - Anthony MackieAnthony MackieAnthony Mackie is an American actor. He has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier's Play, and Talk, by Carl Hancock Rux, for which he won an Obie Award in 2002.In 2002 he featured...
as Tupac ShakurTupac ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world... - Naturi NaughtonNaturi NaughtonNaturi Cora Maria Naughton is an American singer, rapper and actress best known for formerly being one-third of the R&B trio 3LW, and the starring role of Denise in the remake of Fame.- Early life :...
as Lil' KimLil' KimKimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A..... - Antonique SmithAntonique SmithAntonique Smith is an American Broadway, film actress and singer.-Life and career:Smith was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Smith is best known for her starring roles as Maureen and Mimi in Jonathan Larson's Broadway production of Rent. She was also the poster girl for Rent, displayed on taxi...
as Faith EvansFaith EvansFaith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B... - Kevin PhillipsKevin Phillips (actor)Kevin Phillips is an American film actor, best known for his leading role in Suna Gonera’s Pride , as well as his role in 2009's Notorious....
as Mark Pitts - Julia Pace MitchellJulia Pace MitchellJulia Pace Mitchell is an American actress.Pace-Mitchell is the daughter of former TV actress Judy Pace and actor Don Mitchell. She most recently played the role of Jan in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, Notorious, opposite newcoming actor Jamal Woolard who portrays the title character...
as Jan - Dennis L.A. WhiteDennis L.A. WhiteDennis L.A. White is an American stage and screen actor noted for portraying Damion 'D-Roc' Butler in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, Notorious.[1][3] In 2010, he portrayed a cancer stricken comedian in Marq Overton's Die Laughing, a stage play produced by Diversity Players of Harlem and Shawn Luckey,...
as Damion 'D-Roc' Butler
Critical reaction
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
noted that 50% of film reviewers gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 131 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10 indicating "Rotten" reviews. Rotten Tomatoes' consensus is that Notorious is "a biopic that lacks the luster of its subject" and a "generic rise-and-fall fare that still functions as a primer for those less familiar with the work and life of the hip hop icon." The "Top Critics" currently rate the film at 61% based on a sample of 33 reviews as of January 15, 2009. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received a 61 based on a sample of 31 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews." Roger Ebert gave the film 3 1/2 Stars (out of four), applauding the film focusing on Christopher Wallace and not his rapping persona.
Box office
The film was released on January 16, 2009 and grossed $24,000,000 on its opening weekend in 1,638 theaters in the United States on Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
weekend. As of April 2, 2009, the film has grossed $36,843,682 in the United States alone and $6,207,865 internationally to bring the overall total to over $43,051,547.
Criticism by Lil' Kim
Lil' KimLil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
was not happy about how she was portrayed in the film, saying "Regardless of the many lies in the movie and false portrayal of me to help carry a story line through, I will still continue to carry his legacy through my hard work and music." She felt the producers were more interested in the "character" than the actual her. Lil' Kim scenes contained a lot of nudity and sexuality. The film's producers downplayed her comments.
Comparison to actual events
In the scene where Biggie and Puffy meet for the first time, Biggie gives his age as 19. That is correct, as the two men met in early 1992. But during that meeting, Puffy talks about the West Coast's dominance of hip-hop, saying, "They got SnoopSnoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, they got Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
, they got Cube, they killin' it. The East Coast is just lookin' for someone to fill that void." At the time, Dr. Dre was known mainly as a member of N.W.A.
N.W.A.
N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California, widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre....
and would not release his first solo album, The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...
, until December of that year. Also, Snoop Dogg was not widely known until his appearance on The Chronic, although he did appear with Dre on the Deep Cover
Deep Cover
Deep Cover is a 1992 crime thriller film starring Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum and directed by veteran actor Bill Duke. It is also notable for its theme song of the same name, composed by Dr...
soundtrack in 1992. At the time of Biggie and Puffy's first meeting, no one would have cited Dre and Snoop as major players in West Coast hip-hop.
Also, another scene involving Biggie being kicked out of class, and meeting his girlfriend in a restaurant, where his girlfriend, Jan, says she's pregnant with Biggie's daughter in 1990, and born by the time Biggie is released from jail. In real life, Biggie's daughter, T'yanna, was born in 1993, nine months after her father was locked up.