Brooklyn Rapper to Play Notorious B.I.G. in Biopic

A Brooklyn-based rapper who was a drug dealer before he was a singer has been cast as Biggie Smalls, also known as Notorious B.I.G., in the upcoming film Notorious.

Jamal Woolard was cast as Biggie, a rapper who was killed in a Los Angeles drive-by in 1997, after a nationwide casting call by producer Fox Searchlight.

More than 100 Biggie wannabes, all fitting the large physical profile, applied for the role. Many had no acting experience.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Woolard, also known as Gravy, released a number of albums on indie labels in the 1990s before being signed by Warner Bros.

He's also known for being shot outside the New York hip-hop station Hot 97 two years ago, then going inside for the film audition the before seeking treatment.

"Jamal's charming personality, warm spirit, wonderful sense of humour and beautiful smile" earned him the job, said Voletta Wallace, Biggie's mother.

"He is a talented and charismatic actor, and I am excited that he will bring Christopher's [Biggie's real name] character to life," she told the Hollywood Reporter.

The biopic, to be directed by George Tillman Jr., who helmed Soul Food, will tell the story of Notorious B.I.G, who rose to prominence in the 1990s on the East Coast rap scene.