Jamal Woolard

Jamal "Gravy" Woolard, a Brooklyn-based rapper, plays rapper Notorious B.I.G. in the motion picture biography to be helmed by Soul Food director George Tillman Jr. Derek Luke plays Biggie's friend and colleague, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Anthony Mackie plays Tupac Shakur and Angela Bassett portrays Voletta Wallace, Biggie's mother.

Woolard was arrested on September 14, 2008, after his wife, Trina Younger, claimed that he assaulted her. Woolard is due in court on January 29, 2009.TMZ: Biggie Actor Faces Notorious Assault Rap (January 21, 2009)

While on his way to give an interview on the Funkmaster Flex show on Hot 97 in New York, Woolard was shot in his posterior. He went on to do the show in spite of his injury and later stated; "I was there to do my job, so I did my job. Now, to people it looks like "Well, you got shot. And you still went in there and did your job?" Like, O.K., let's put the shoe on the other foot. What was I supposed to tell a powerful influence like Flex, at Hot 97? 'You know what, Flex? I'm sorry, man. I can't do the show. I was standing downstairs—got shot in the ass.' What, are you nuts? Right? It wouldn't make any sense. So I had to do what I had to do."NY Mag: ...Shot in the Ass (March 6, 2008)