We all love the story of the poor inner city youth who rises to the top after resorting to the transgressions of the streets: the young boy who chooses crime over the classroom.

After much anticipation, ``Notorious'' was released Jan. 16, and was a major hit.

Jamal Woolard, a former aspiring rapper under the name of ``Gravy,'' portrayed flamboyant Christopher Wallace, who was known to millions of fans as ``Biggie,'' ``Biggie Smalls,'' or ``The Notorious B.I.G.''

Woolard, whose own history parallels Wallace's, was banned from New York radio station Hot 97 after being shot outside the station in 2006 altercation.
The performance was Woolard's first major role and astonished audiences.

The story started in the late 1980’s, beginning with young Christopher Wallace (played by Biggie’s real son, Christopher Jr.) introduction to the easy money made from crack dealing. His mother, Voletta, (portrayed by actress Angela Bassett) realized young Christopher’s latest bad habit and kicked him out, leading to his immersion fully into street life.

After jail time, Biggie realized his destiny and began to work on his rap career with Sean “Puffy” Combs (actor Derek Luke) establishing a legacy on a path to stardom.

Unlike most recent biopics, you would expect Biggie’s story to tell only part of the truth.

The movie stunned most by including all aspects of his life; the good, the bad, and the never before revealed. The classic hits, the irrational beef with rapper Tupac Shakur, birthing the East-West feud; the twin killings of these gifted storytellers. Shakur was murdered as he left a Mike Tyson boxing match with producer Suge Knight in Las Vegas only months before Biggie's early 1997 slaying in Los Angeles at a traffic light in his SUV.

People could understand and relate to his life, knowing both sides. There was no area shaded, everything was there.

There were small things that troubled me in the B.I.G picture. Angela Bassett’s accent fell short when compared to his Jamaican mother in reality.

Also, actor Anthony Mackie as Shakur, was not given ample opportunity to fully evoke his portrayal. It came across as mediocre, when in actuality, it just wasn’t developed well in the script. Luke effectively mocks Puffy’s mannerisms, but nothing more to his real character than some arrogant statements.

All and all, ``Notorious'' was proven to be an exceptional film. Since Biggie’s death, he hasn’t been more alive than in ``Notorious.''