You're an idiot. To say Biggie brought nothing new to the rap game shows that you know nothing about music. He brought NYC back to life in a time when hip hip was dominated by the West Coast. You suck.

He brought Hip-Hop back to life? Please, all he did was spit mush-mouthed renditions of Eazy-E's old lines.

Yeah What that guy Said! you do suck and Good or bad movie you still cant Put the man down like that. Maybe it's not your type of music but you have to respect the fact that it a lot better than the new crap that comes out today! I mean Lil' Wayne, TI and 50cent come on Dude, That stuff is Whack!

just another loser to be looked up to by the misguided youth of this great nation......

Wow Charles,

Your recent literary work entitled Notorious: Big Fat Nothing can be interpreted as being on the verge of blasphemous to most Hip-Hop fans.
I agree with you that the portrayal of a uneducated, immature, teenager humiliating and lack of respect for a teacher is not only idiotic, but a mockery of an attempt at "Hollywood" making a scene that seems to "Laugh" at what is right and "Glamorize" what is wrong (or in this case, illegal).

In your continuous bashing of the artist (and not the movie), you then include Tupac Shakur (another influential Hip-Hop artist) into, what seems to be, your dreadful discomfort, and obvious unsavory taste for Hip-Hop music. I must say, I am quite surprised that a man with your education, could not see the influential message behind the artist's hard work and perseverance to accomplish a better life worth living for not only for himself but for his mother as well. A boy, who was willing to do "Anything" (even if it meant selling drugs on the corner) to get out from where he was and accomplish something more memorable.

Your message of: "Biggie came out of nowhere, sold some crack, released a couple of records, fucked some hos, got caught up in some West Coast/East Coast bullshit, and the bullshit got him shot at the age of 24. And that's all there is to it."
shows your ignorance of talent and lack of respect to the deceased.

Reading your article definitely help me to realize the bitterness in people, and the envy you have for a young African-American who accomplished more by the age of 24 then you probably will ever do in your lifetime.

Sad, not once did you ever name a lyric, song, or even an album, which makes me further realize that you nothing of the man or his work (only the "Hollywood" version and portrayal). I have news for you - This movie was NOT made for YOU!!

I hope to read more from you - hopefully about something you DO KNOW!!

wow this review is fucking stupid

great review

I love it when people get upset about a person who made his carer talking over someone elses music.

I will not and cannot respect anyone that rather sell drugs/steal/rob etc.. than further his or hers education.
And to say ANYONE that dies due to his own actions/life style (in this case hanging with gangsters and hoods) should be seen as a hero or leader of the people or a musical niche is to say that the film "Idiocracy" (2006) is the destination of the human race.

This awesome review is why Charles Mudede is black and right and read all over. And Biggie Smells is just dead. His greatest contribution to western culture: inflicting another mush-mouth dullard on us all, Sean Combs. Those two morons couldn't think of anything beyond taking someone else's hook (or hell, whole song) and dubbing their own shitty voices over the top. Real genius. Glad you're dead, Biggie. Crack dealers rot in hell.

I cannot believe you say these things. Crazy! BIG was a lyrical genius. You, sir, are a moron. If the movie sucked, which by the previews I would think so, then it sucked. That's the crap these bitches come out with these days. But to try to bash Big's career? AND 2PAC??? To imply that they were not talented? I am baffled.

In case you didn't read or get it the first time

Wow Charles,

Your recent literary work entitled Notorious: Big Fat Nothing can be interpreted as being on the verge of blasphemous to most Hip-Hop fans.
I agree with you that the portrayal of a uneducated, immature, teenager humiliating and lack of respect for a teacher is not only idiotic, but a mockery of an attempt at "Hollywood" making a scene that seems to "Laugh" at what is right and "Glamorize" what is wrong (or in this case, illegal).

In your continuous bashing of the artist (and not the movie), you then include Tupac Shakur (another influential Hip-Hop artist) into, what seems to be, your dreadful discomfort, and obvious unsavory taste for Hip-Hop music. I must say, I am quite surprised that a man with your education, could not see the influential message behind the artist's hard work and perseverance to accomplish a better life worth living for not only for himself but for his mother as well. A boy, who was willing to do "Anything" (even if it meant selling drugs on the corner) to get out from where he was and accomplish something more memorable.

Your message of: "Biggie came out of nowhere, sold some crack, released a couple of records, fucked some hos, got caught up in some West Coast/East Coast bullshit, and the bullshit got him shot at the age of 24. And that's all there is to it."
shows your ignorance of talent and lack of respect to the deceased.

Reading your article definitely help me to realize the bitterness in people, and the envy you have for a young African-American who accomplished more by the age of 24 then you probably will ever do in your lifetime.

Sad, not once did you ever name a lyric, song, or even an album, which makes me further realize that you nothing of the man or his work (only the "Hollywood" version and portrayal). I have news for you - This movie was NOT made for YOU!!

I hope to read more from you - hopefully about something you DO KNOW!!

Wow. Perhaps you should not have wrote this review. The movie looks kinda dumb but to say Biggie was average and brought nothing new to the game sounds like what a teenager would say these days. Shame shame. Also Your reviews have been very mean lately. Perhaps you should not review things anymore.

Go out and purchase Biggie's Ready To Die and listen to it front to back, and then tell me how commercial biggie was. Great Job asshole. You've proven your total lack of knowledge of Hip Hop.

This seems more like a review of the person and not the movie.

Furthermore, most of your idiotic reviews are an attempt at "making funnies." Not impressed.

Big and Tupac were over hyped lamo's that got manipulated and used up till their deaths. Suge and Puffy are the ones that ended up rich. Their music had no real substance, and in fact was pop music. Half the time Big sounds all mumble on the mic, and with all "I love my momma" crap in this film in fact it looks like the both forgot about the rights of women.

Hey Charles i thought this was supposed to be a film review. To me it reads more like your personal opinion about the subject matter of the film. Would you give Apocolypse Now the same sort of review because you disagreed with the war in Vietnam? Was the movie well made? Were the actors convincing? Was the plot fluid?

Since i don't know the answers to those questions since your review failed to address them i thought i would give the answers that your review provided:

Based on this review - are you terrible at your job? Yes! (how about some insight into why the movie didn't work)

Are you a rap/hiphop snob that doesn't see value or substance in anything that achieves commercial success? Most likely - yes.

Are you a profession snob? Yes. Why can't an intelligent person compare the work of teachers to garbage men? They are both public servents. They are both necessary in a civilized society. Both do work that the bulk of the public don't have the stomach for. Don't you remember how disgusting parts of the city were a couple weeks ago when trash service stopped for a couple of weeks?

Mr. Mudede please try to improve your work to at least a satisfactory level, or failing that, become a garbage man.

Amazing comments. So telling of the individuals writing them.

The truth is most of rap/hip-hop stopped being "hard work" as one comment put it once Eminem got famous. Anyone can rhyme the word "you" with itself ten times and call it a song. The awesome thing is these guys don't even bother to learn music and meter. They steal both of those from the music they sample.

I think almost everyone can admit the only reason rap has any listeners at all is the identity some angst ridden teenagers gain from being involved in something they feel is larger than themselves.

Which brings me back to Biggie. When he WAS famous and all over the radio and television I never could figure out why. His tunes were boring. His voice was boring. His rhymes were barely existent. What was it? Eventually I figured it out. People really liked the idea of a big fat loser getting hot chicks. I mean if that loser could have sex with lots of hot women then so could they... and then they woke up.

This is the best review of anything that I have ever read, ever.

Biggie was a commercial rapper who was only as talented as the people who were working for him and the climate of the game at the time.

I don't understand why everyone feels the need to hype Biggie (and Pac) to Savior status.

They're no more or less influential or important than Jay-Z, Weezy, 50 or Kanye.

Commercial music is the same no matter what genre is being represented. Y'alls got played.

I've never been impressed by Tupac or Biggie Smalls, despite how much material I've heard. It still baffles me that people look up to them.

Making a movie about either is just an attempt at producing a cash cow.

There are many more people that could have their story told but won't because their names aren't big enough.

Hey Charles i thought this was a film review. To me it read more like your personal opinion of the subject of the film. Would you write a similar negative review of Apocalypse Now because you disagreed with the war in Vietnam? How about actually reviewing the movie? Was the film choppy? Were the actors convincing? Did the plot flow smoothly?

Since i don't know the answers to those questions since your "review" failed to mention them i thought i would review what i do know based on your review:

based on this "review" - are you terrible at your job? Yes! You managed to give your thoughts on Biggie, Tupac and Puffy but failed to actually review the movie, which is what you were supposed to be doing.

Are you a rap/hip hop snob that cannot see any value or substance in anything that has commercial success? Probably

Why can't a person with more than "half a brain" compare garbage men with teachers? They are both underappreciated public servants that do work that the bulk of society doesn't have the stomach for. Don't you remember how disgusting parts of the city were after a couple weeks without garbage service? We need garbage men as much or more than we need teachers and if you can't see that it is only because your snobbery is more powerful than your intellect

Mr. Mudede as i reader of this publication i would appreciate it if you could elevate the quality of your work to at least a satisfactory level.

Hey Charles i thought this was a film review. To me it read more like your personal opinion of the subject of the film. Would you write a similar negative review of Apocalypse Now because you disagreed with the war in Vietnam? How about actually reviewing the movie? Was the film choppy? Were the actors convincing? Did the plot flow smoothly?

Since i don't know the answers to those questions since your "review" failed to mention them i thought i would review what i do know based on your review:

based on this "review" - are you terrible at your job? Yes! You managed to give your thoughts on Biggie, Tupac and Puffy but failed to actually review the movie, which is what you were supposed to be doing.

Are you a rap/hip hop snob that cannot see any value or substance in anything that has commercial success? Probably

Why can't a person with more than "half a brain" compare garbage men with teachers? They are both underappreciated public servants that do work that the bulk of society doesn't have the stomach for. Don't you remember how disgusting parts of the city were after a couple weeks without garbage service? We need garbage men as much or more than we need teachers and if you can't see that it is only because your snobbery is more powerful than your intellect

Mr. Mudede as i reader of this publication i would appreciate it if you could elevate the quality of your work to at least a satisfactory level.

I agree...This was absolutely the result of luck. Talented or not, the fact is that there are so many talented people out there, it does take luck to make it. I hate seeing so much of our youth wrapped up in this "gangster life." The fact is some aren't so lucky - selling crack will lead them right where it should - to jail.

We need garbage men more than we need teachers????????????? Are you thanking your garbage man for your ability to read this crap review and respond somewhat intelligently?

I'm an older dude, and I really don't know anything about rap, who the main players are in the profession, any of the inside stuff, or the traditions that have been passed down through the years. That being said, I must say that I have always liked listening to BIG's music. It has an edge and power that I have concluded, must come from a certain talent. I liked his voice., it was soft, ok, blubbery, but also had impact at the same time.

He was very young when he died, and I don't think it is fair to dismiss someone's work as being meaningless, if in the very least it put taters on the table. Given more time, BIG might have gone on to do some things that even Charles would have liked.

People must not confuse popularity with talent. Sean Combs, Biggie and 2Pac do indeed suck. And Biggie and 2Pac are dead. Too bad neither condition always puts a stop to your career.

I liked Biggie but I must say he is/was overhyped by far.
Same goes for Tupac.
I don't deny their talent in rhyming, but they weren't like "God" of hip hop.
Partly, they were happen to be at the right place at the right time.
Tupac was a hypocrite.
I didn't like him for that.
Biggie was tight but that was about it.
He was one of those artist that kept on getting worse as time progressed.
Probably due to his lack of interest in production or something.
He just couldn't get any dope beats on his albums.
Kept on getting weak ass commercial producers with weak ass beats.
Same with Tupac.
Always flip flopping on his words.
He acts like civil rights activist, then turns around promoting violence.
So, I don't get where these people come from where they treat them like hip hop martyr.
And I'm sure this film itself suck too.
It's probably one those film where people wanted to cash in on Biggies fame before it completely fades away.
Not worth my time.
Pac and Biggie was good rappers, and that's it.
They aren't like Jimmie Hendrix of hip hop world.

Stranger higher-ups [Lindy?], perhaps you should not send reviewers to biopics who think [or adamantly believe] the subject of the biopic is not worth making a biopic about.

Just a thought. I know Mudede likes Sir Mix-A-Lot, as do I. I hope he wouldn't try to argue that we should be making movies about him.

you should go to Brooklyn and hold your words on a sign. pathetic maggot hiding behind this blog. only way you can get visitors to your shallow website.

"you should go to Brooklyn and hold your words on a sign. pathetic maggot hiding behind this blog."

Why Brooklyn would one of your "boys" pop a cap in his ass? This review was dead on. The part about teacher SCREAMS about one of the many reasons hip hop values are so fucked up.

WOW COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF, WELL MAYBE I COULD ANYWAY. POINTS 1. WASTE OF FILM 2.MADE SOLELEY TO CATER TO BLACK VEIWERS 3. THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE WITH OUT BOTH PERFORMERS (WHO COINCEDENTALY COUNTINUE TO RELASE MUSIC LONG AFTER THEIR DEATHS?) .4 OF COURSE THE CROWD IT CATERED TO NATURALLY REACTED IN AN ADULT MANNER BY SHOOTING AND STABBING EACH OTHER AT DRUNKEN DRUG FILLED AFTER PARTYS (SO COOL, SO ADULT) .5 CANT WAIT TILL IT HITS THE DOLLAR BIN AT WALMART SO I CAN BUY A COUPLE COPYS FOR TARGET PRACTICE. .6 I'D GIVE ONE TO MY DOG AS A CHEW TOY BUT HE'D GET SICK I'M SHURE. .7 AMAZED THAT IT DIDN'T GO "STRAIGHT TO VIDEO" LIKE A BAD DISNEY FILM. .8 SHURE TO BE PULLED FROM THEATERS IN RECORD TIME, IN FACT IM AMAZED THAT IT'S STILL IN A THEATER NOW, SURELEY ALL THE CRACK DEALERS IN TOWN HAVE SEEN IT BY NOW. FINALLY WHO PROFITS FROM THIS FILM PUFFY, OR LIL KIM?

im gonna avoid reading this, charles- in the interest of not running up in the office and flipping your afghanistan-looking desk over.

i'd buy you a drink after, but still.

remember this?

Charles.

Do you do this for more attention?

Go back to england or wherever your from and please stop trying to comment on hiphop local or national.

This article doesn't review the movie at all -- but instead elevates the writer's own mythology above the actual product he's supposed to critiquing. The result is one gigantic non sequitur.

But, a few points about your "review" nontheless: Tupac/Biggie/Gangsta Rap Culture does consciously "influence" (in the sense of adolescent idolatry, emulation) most black youth. To imply that gangsta culture is just a mainstream-corporate invention that has no relevance or bearance on African American youth is to approach it with the same kind of nonchalance a white kid from the suburbs might utilize the music for a few short years of rebellion, and then throw off that disposable identity, transition into something else(hippie, fratboy, whatever), assume some lucrative position within a company yet later on, and never give it a second thought. That dismissiveness reeks of falsehood, of distorting the evidence to fit your claims.

Second: while we're on the subject, what's up with your lack of evidence? Biggie's rise to fame was "pure luck." How was it pure luck? And how did Biggie bring "nothing new to the game" when he is widely considered by the majority of critics and rappers alike to be one of rap's greatest lyricists? There's a sort of revisionism that goes on in this review -- and that's fine. But, if you're going to widely revise what are commonly held opinions, you must provide evidence, critical or otherwise, to the contrary. Where is it?

Please do better next time.

Biggi had a couple good cuts on his first solo. but yeah, not one of the best gangsta rappers. never liked tupac.

One of the best film reviews I've read.

You all are a bunch of wankers. Get a life.

"an average rapper who brought absolutely nothing new to the game"

You kiddin' me?

Dear Editor.Please post a review of this movie by Larry Mizell!

Wow... My respect for CM and the The Stranger has gone WAYYY down. And i was a loyal supporter.... Another reason why i am ashamed to call Seattle my home. So full of hatred, so full of jealousy. Charles, people who think like you have been in control of the urban scene in this city for too long. People who think like you are the reason why its dead. Recognize brilliance, even if its not your emo-filled cup of tea.

You guys are all fucking cowards.

Why is everyone so worked up b/c a teacher was made fun of. When Sunny was dogging the bus driver for being a bus driver in "a bronx tale" i didnt hear anyone talking shit about the mobsters who make illegal money. Its the same here. Yes Bigie sold dope when he was a teen. How many entertainers have done the same. How many have been dope heads themselves. No one condemns them. But here you have a man, who i cant even believe that people are here sayiung he didnt have any talent. I dare someone to name a better rapper than Biggie or Tupac. And dont tell me any rapper out today is even comparible with Biggie. Just b/c you dont understand him doesnt make him talentless.
Biggie told stories, when he rapped you could close your eyes and see every word he was rapping. He got you hype, he got you emotional, and he made hell of party tracks, No one compares to Big, thats a fact.
No one is perfect, made he throw the first stone if he is. Biggie was a perfect person, but he was a great man and rapper, yes he had flaws, but no great man was perfect, ever

And for the record, yes music is influential, so is everything else in life, but let stop with the Rap makes kids kill bullshit. Did Marilyn Manson makes thos kids in Colubine go crazy? Let people take responsibility for there own actions. Stop trying to find a reason why some people dont have common sense

"an average rapper who brought absolutely nothing new to the game."

To say this about Biggie is absolutely ridiculous. You can criticize the movie, but you can't make a statement like that about the man. Any real hip-hop journalist knows that. It's a bad look for the Stranger to publish a review like this. You come across as uniformed, unstudied and conservative. Take some pride in your job, man! Do the research so can form intelligent opinions and write something of substance. All I can do is laugh at this really... You sound like Nancy Reagan.

Mudede is right!

Only Northwest hip-hop brings the real shit.

Tupac and Biggie were talentless.

Long live NW Hiphop! Queeeeeen Anne! Wha-what! Capital Hill! Ka-Kaw!

Who is the guy who reviewed this movie. To say that Tupac and Biggie were wack rappers who bought nothing to the genre is down right insane. I havent even seen the movie but this guys outlook on these two is so far off that it causes me to think that his review on the movie itself cant be that great either.

Biggie Smalls seriously sucked, that's for sure. This movie probably does too for that very reason. This review, however: Has a major flaw.

It isn't ABOUT the movie. In fact, only three sentences can even be described as having anything to do with the movie at all. This is essentially your review in a nutshell: "This was a movey. Its about dis raper name Notorious BIG and he wuz big an stupid and I hat him bcuz he didnt get no eduction or nthng."

The film, biopic as it is, can have redeeming qualities, and just because the person is awful doesn't mean that the film should be. Hell, I'd watch a film about Hitler, if it was interesting. Don't confuse the film and the person. Now, in this case, the movie probably sucks donkey balls the size of grapes (and loves every minute of it) and I'll be sure to miss it. But in the future, try and separate the film from the subject.

wow, you no nothing about really hip hop, that man was great...he might not have been smart but he was good at what he did!

plus your don't even get american culture...your from Africa! get with it dude, dont speak on what you don't know

(and such truths DO exist)

Really? Like what?

Damn! Pretty rough on the B.I.G. But you have a point. Neither one of them engaged in the thoughtful street poetry of Public Enemy or N.W.A.

Ever heard of NAS or Wu Tang Clan? I think they did more for more maintream hip hop than Biggie. I am not a huge hip hop fan myself, so when something strikes me in the hip hop world, it must be REALLY good. Nas's "It Was Written" made a huge impact on me way back in 1996 when I was a teenager. It made me believe that good hip hop artists could get noticed in the mainstream again.
But I do agree that Biggie had more talent than Charles gives him credit for. He just was mostly about the bitches and money LOL. Which echoed the mentality of NWA and the like. The whole east coast/west coast thing was inane and puerile. Too bad rappers with real talent like Del and Guru didn't have bigger voices to help squash all that nonsense.

When it comes to hip hop you are a foolish man. I rarely hear this type of ignorance towards two of raps greats. Listen to the dam CD and then write your lacking reviews. RIP Biggie an Pac.