Notorious

Larger-than-life rap sensation Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1997. This biopic by director George Tillman Jr. goes back to the beginning, when the superstar was Christopher Wallace, a money-hungry crack dealer with bravado and a talent for rhyming off the cuff. After a stint in prison, Wallace meets Sean “Puffy” Combs, a producer who gives him the fame and power he’s always wanted. However, this all quickly ends after the infamous East Coast-West Coast rap wars ignite, with Tupac as his nemesis; the two are shot dead within months of each other. Although Tillman leaves some big questions unanswered, Jamal Woolard’s commanding performance as Wallace hits all the right notes.