His hard knocks, rags-to-riches “gangsta” life having been cut tragically short a decade ago in a hail of gunfire, perhaps it was only appropriate that opening weekend of rapper Biggie Smalls’ biopic was accompanied by a rash of shootings and stabbings.
The violence got kicked off at the movie’s North American premiere Friday in Greensboro, N.C.
There, a 32-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen, causing the theater to be evacuated and screenings of the movie to be suspended.
From the Greensboro News & Record:
The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the lobby of the Grand 18 at Four Seasons Station just after 9 p.m. as moviegoers waited to get into opening night showings of “Notorious” – the life and death story of the rapper Notorious B.I.G.
Rapper Jamal Woolard, who portrays Biggie (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace, Notorious B.I.G., Big Poppa) in the movie, was present for the Greensboro premiere but was unharmed.
Meanwhile, four people were stabbed at an after-party for the film’s New York City release.
From NBC New York:
Four men were stabbed after a fight broke out at the Djumbala club in Canarsie, Brooklyn, which is roughly three miles from (Biggie’s) former home. Jones and several friends caught a late showing of “Notorious” before later stopping by the Ralph Ave. club.
Party promoters advertised the event as the “official” film after-party but movie distributor Fox Searchlight said the party had no official connection to the pic.
Like Biggie’s death, no one has yet been arrested in either of this weekend’s incidents.
Smalls was gunned down in March 1997, allegedly as part of an East Coast v. West Coast spat that claimed the life of rapper Tupac Shakur six months earlier.
Some have speculated that the rap feud was merely a cover for a behind-the-scenes financial battle involving rap record labels and gang leaders over the entertainers’ profits.
Nonetheless, Smalls perished shortly after filming his final video (below) and two weeks before the release of his last album, Life After Death.
