“You can’t change the world until you change yourself"...wise words from the late great rapper the Notorious B.I.G (Christopher Wallace), whose mantra is repeated throughout, Notorious, a new film based on his life. Jamal Woolard plays the larger than life rap star, and the portrayal is so exact, we often thing were watching Biggie himself on screen.

Notorious highlights his rise to fame and his tragic death at the young age of twenty-four. It's the story of early hip-hop as we know it as we watch Sean "Puffy" Combs' (Derek Luke) build the Bad Boys empire on the East Coast, and Suge Knight build Death Row Records on the West Coast. It's also a personal story of Biggie's tumultuous personal life, including affairs with Lil' Kim and Faith Evans.

After Biggie hits the big time, one night changes his life forever, when his friend Tupac Shakur, (Anthony Mackie), was jumped and robbed at Puffy's Manhattan recording studio. The incident sparked a war within the rap world: East Coast versus West Coast wars that ultimately ended in the tragic death of both—Tupac and B.I.G. The film maintains that Biggie never agreed with this war, and ultimately wanted to make amends with his friend. Yet the media hype and lack of information fueled fire to divide. We see clearly how ignorance begets violence.

Biggie's mother Voletta Wallace(played by Angela Bassett, is a producer on the film. Since her son’s death, Voletta Wallace has been working to give back to the community and inspire young people to do something good. Biggie’s music told tough, real stories from the streets of Brooklyn. In honor of his contribution and his voice for inner city kids with big talent and dreams but little opportunity, Voletta began the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation almost immediately after her son’s unfortunate death in 1997.

The foundation provides scholarships, grants, books, technology, and other tools to young students. Their mission “is to provide the literacy tools— primarily books and computers—that our young people need to build and protect their future, be successful overall in their endeavors and become positive contributors within their communities.” They've formed charter schools as a means of alternative education that provides students with additional attention and encouragement not always found in the public school system. One of their ultimate goals is to establish a community center in Brooklyn. Some of the proceeds of the movie are going to go to the foundation as well. It's a fitting tribute to such an amazing life cut short too soon. Go see it and be inspired, for you can't change the world, until you change yourself.

Notorious hits theaters January 16th.