# Jamal Woolard
**Jamal Woolard** (born 1975) is an American actor and rapper, known professionally in music as **Gravy**, who is best known for portraying the rapper [The Notorious B.I.G.](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-notorious-b-i-g) in the 2009 biopic *Notorious* and reprising the role in the 2017 [Tupac Shakur](https://www.edgepedia.org/tupac-shakur) film *[All Eyez on Me](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-eyez-on-me-film)*.[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975; New York[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/) |
| Signature role | Christopher "Biggie" Wallace in *Notorious* (2009)[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/fullcredits/) |
| Reprised role | Biggie in *All Eyez on Me* (2017), a film about Tupac Shakur[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/) |
| Music career | Records under the name Gravy; five mixtapes, including *Notorious Gravy* (2009)[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/) |
| Preparation for *Notorious* | Gained over 50 pounds, memorized Biggie's lyrics, and took vocal lessons at the Juilliard School[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/) |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/) |
## Casting as The Notorious B.I.G.
Woolard, a Brooklyn native and working rapper, was cast as Christopher Wallace, known as The Notorious B.I.G., in *[Notorious](https://www.edgepedia.org/notorious-2009-film)*, the Fox Searchlight biopic of the rapper's life, after a yearlong search.[5](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/big-news-notorious-finds-its-lead-actor/) Fox Searchlight executives reasoned, as with sports films, that a non-actor who could rap and imitate Biggie would serve the production better than a professional actor who would need to be taught to rap.[6](https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025151/2008-03-19/ed-1/seq-11.pdf)
The choice was not straightforward. An earlier candidate, a DJ and producer from East Orange, New Jersey known as S.G. (Surgeon General), had been selected from about 400 hopefuls in an online casting campaign, and at 6 foot 4 and 400 pounds physically resembled the rapper closely. According to the film's trivia record, producers hesitated after a comment from Woolard that "Brooklyn would be mad if I don't get the role," and the decision was left to Voletta Wallace, Biggie's mother and a producer on the film. She chose Woolard, saying his smile reminded her of her son.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/) In the casting announcement she cited his "charming personality, warm spirit, wonderful sense of humor and beautiful smile."[5](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/big-news-notorious-finds-its-lead-actor/)
## Preparing for the role
Woolard prepared for months. He listened to and memorized lyrics across Biggie's catalog, gained weight for the part, and took vocal lessons at the [Juilliard School](https://www.edgepedia.org/juilliard-school) to match the rapper's voice; he added over 50 pounds to an already large frame.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/) The Los Angeles Times described the transformation as an extreme case of method acting and reported that he "mastered one of the most difficult vocal deliveries in pop history."[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jan-18-ca-notorious18-story.html)
*Notorious* was released on January 16, 2009, directed by George Tillman Jr., with [Angela Bassett](https://www.edgepedia.org/angela-bassett) as Voletta Wallace, Derek Luke as [Sean Combs](https://www.edgepedia.org/sean-combs), and [Anthony Mackie](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-mackie) as Tupac Shakur.[5](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/big-news-notorious-finds-its-lead-actor/) The film earned $36,843,682 domestically and $7,576,485 internationally, a worldwide total of about $44.4 million against a $20 million budget.[8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0472198/) Woolard was nominated for multiple acting awards for the performance.[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/)
## Later career
Woolard reprised the Biggie role in *All Eyez on Me* (2017), the biopic of Tupac Shakur, making him the actor most associated with the character on film.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/) His screen work since has been largely in independent film and television: *[Barbershop: The Next Cut](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbershop-the-next-cut)*, *[City of Lies](https://www.edgepedia.org/city-of-lies)*, *Hands Up* (2021), and *Armstrong* (2022), in which he played Frank.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jamal-woolard/credits/3030109399/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/) He has also worked behind the camera, as executive producer of *Turnt* (2020) and co-producer of *Dirty Game* (2023).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/)
## Music and personal life
As a rapper, Woolard records under the name Gravy and has released five mixtapes, including *Notorious Gravy* in 2009.[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/) His screen credits also include soundtrack and music-department work, with writer credits on *Piece by Piece*, *Taxi*, and *Love Don't Cost a Thing* listed in television-guide credits.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jamal-woolard/credits/3030109399/)
He was shot outside the Hot 97 studios in New York in 2006 and recorded a radio interview immediately afterward. In 2009, while present at the *Notorious* screening in [Greensboro, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/greensboro-north-carolina), shots were fired, resulting in the theater being cleared and the premiere shutting down; he escaped without injury and did not require hospitalization.[1](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/) • [10](https://www.tmz.com/2009/01/17/mo-biggie-mo-shootings/) He married Mechelle Bowser on December 21, 2021.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/)
## References
1. [Jamal Woolard Net Worth, Celebrity Net Worth](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/richest-rappers/jamal-woolard-net-worth/)
2. [Notorious (2009) – Trivia, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/trivia/)
3. [Notorious (2009) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472198/fullcredits/)
4. [Jamal Woolard, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2946456/)
5. [B.I.G. News: Notorious Finds its Lead Actor, Rotten Tomatoes (March 6, 2008)](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/big-news-notorious-finds-its-lead-actor/)
6. [Fox Searchlight casting report, The Register-Guard via Oregon Digital Newspaper Archives (March 19, 2008)](https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025151/2008-03-19/ed-1/seq-11.pdf)
7. ['Biggie Bootcamp'? Got to keep it real, Los Angeles Times (January 18, 2009)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jan-18-ca-notorious18-story.html)
8. [Notorious (2009), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0472198/)
9. [Jamal Woolard List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jamal-woolard/credits/3030109399/)
10. [Mo' Biggie, Mo' Shootings](https://www.tmz.com/2009/01/17/mo-biggie-mo-shootings/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Hip hop scenes worldwide › Artists, groups, and people: Hip hop scenes worldwide › East Coast rap (New York and Philadelphia) › East Coast rap's 2000s–2010s era*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license