Even in the middle of their most ostentatious boasts, hip-hop superstars Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and the like are still “respectful” enough to tout themselves as merely the best rappers alive.

That’s because the best rapper, period, is widely regarded as the late Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace.

Enlarge this image

Phil Caruso/Fox Searchlight

Jamal Woolard stars as rapper Notorious B.I.G. in the new release.

• Email this
• Print this
• Most popular

MORE ON 'NOTORIOUS':
• Biggie's mom: Talks about 'Notorious'
• Premiere: Red carpet photos
• Video: B.I.G. premiere brings out stars in NYC
• Read: Lil Kim unhappy with film
• Watch: Biggie film trailer
• Check out: Movie show times

In just three years as a recording artist, with only two original albums in his catalog, the 24-year-old became a Brooklyn legend before he was killed in a still-unsolved drive-by shooting March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles.

The wide-screen take on this hip-hop heavyweight (literally and figuratively) is “Notorious,” and here’s what people will be talking about once the credits roll:

Jamal Woolard as “Biggie.” Size and labored heavy breathing aside, Woolard doesn’t immediately embody Notorious B.I.G. (or one of Wallace’s other nicknames, Biggie Smalls). And it’s not because he doesn’t have a wandering eye.

But through his depiction you get a great sense of what was endearing about the gritty, gifted storyteller who often rapped about gunfire and drug deals, as well as what was charismatic about the reported womanizer, who even described himself as a “heartthrob never/black and ugly as ever/However…”

Derek Luke’s “Puffy.” Let’s face it, only entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy”/”Puffy” Combs can be Sean Combs. His persona — and many monikers — loom that large. So it’s a little laughable to see the stiff Luke hit one of Combs’ signature dance moves. But to his credit, from the side he does strike a “Puffy” profile.

Faith Evans’ swing. The first loud round of applause at an early screening came when Wallace’s ex-wife, R&B singer Evans (portrayed by Antonique Smith), catches her husband cheating. And makes him and his paramour pay.

Hip-hop may be roundly derided for its treatment of women, but in “Notorious,” Evans, Wallace’s mother Voletta (Angela Bassett) and even nearly-naked, foul-mouthed rapper Lil Kim (Naturi Naughton) are at least two-dimensional, realistic, and yes, at times, applaudable.