// ROCKA.CANDY // | THE UNDERRATED CLASSIC

Earlier in the summer I was hanging out on the set of Notorious, the Biggie Smalls movie, with Charles Malik Whitfield (Supernatural), who portrays BIG’s manager, Wayne Barrows. It was one of the last days of filming, and they were shooting the funeral on location at the actual funeral home where BIG’s real last send off took place. Surreal is the word that best describes my state of being that afternoon.

Here’s what I learned that day.

• Voletta Wallace Exhaled Long Ago – When I first arrived at the funeral home, I peeped into the auditorium and saw Voletta Wallace taking in the rehearsals with two other oldsters. Angie B. was on stage doing some acting but all I could watch was Voletta cracking up with laughter at something one of her friends whispered in her ear. It seemed strange given the circumstances, but maybe not after all.Later, when they were actually filming the scene, I got to sit next to Voletta on a bench off to the side, overlooking the action. “It doesn’t get better than Angela Bassett playing you in a movie.” I remarked, trying to find something to say about the moment. “Nope, It really doesn’t,” she grinned so quickly it was unconscious.

• Angela Bassett Is F*cking Serious About Acting – One of the oddest experience’s of my lifetime had to be watching Angela Bassett interact with individuals on set. She was there to do a job, nothing idle, but she wasn’t rude about it. Whenever she was in-between rehearsals, or not filming, it was straight to her trailer, no small talk (not even with other actors), and definitely no direct eye contact, assistants in tow. She was the only actor that didn’t have time to do press that day, which made me like her even more.

• The Kid Playing Biggie Is Shy – When they introduced me to the guy playing BIG (Jamal Woolard), I was sort of thrown off. I’ve never met the real BIG, so I had no real expectations physically other than the obvious – he looked the part. What didn’t fit the description was the personality, this guy had so very little to say it scared me, he just didn’t have the bravado that came with the real incarnation, someone who made a living spittin bars and hustling off corners. In a strange way, I was let down.

• Deric ‘D-Dot’ Angelettie Is Really Not Madd – Of course this dude was at the funeral home making sure things looked authentic, you may remember him as the Madd Rapper, and as one of the hottest producers around during the Puffy age. We hung out a bit because I had to get his perspective on how everything was working. He was actually very chill, and is a funny dude in general. He kept referring to the entire day as Dejavu, because he could remember where everyone sat during the real funeral. He even moved a couple a folks during rehearsal to ensure accuracy.

• The Kid Playing Lil’ Cease Is An Ass – So there I was talking to Kevin Phillips (Pride), he’s cast as another one of Big’s managers, when the dude playing Lil’ Cease, Mark John Jeffries (Get Rich Or Die Trying) walks by me and gives me the screw face / mean mug. He had some chick following him around, she hunched her shoulders as if to aplogize for him. At this point in the day I’d been around for a while talking to a lot of folks with a recorder in hand, and I hadn’t talked to him – so maybe that’s why he gave me the stink eye?

• Faith Evans Answers Unknown Numbers On Her Cell – While chatting up Wayne Barrows and D.Dot, they start reminiscing about the old days. Somehow there is a discrepancy about a particular detail, so D. Dot decides that they need to call Faith Evans to clear it up. Wayne opens his cell, and calls out some digits to D.Dot, and says, “That’s her cell.” D. Dot dials, Faith answers on the third ring, but I’m stunned The First Lady answers strange numbers.

• Lil’ Kim Has Every Right To Be Mad – Naturi Naughton from 3LW is portraying the Queen Bee and from what I’ve heard the plastic KIM is non too happy. After seeing what Naughton’s bringing to the character – a whole lot of multi-colored hair weaves – Lil’ Kim is going to look real Dollar Tree after this drops.

• Reggie Bythewood Has A Vision – Honestly, when I first heard about this movie I thought it was a bootleg operation going straight to DVD. But that cleared up once I got to the set and saw that Reggie Bythewood (Love & Basketball) had things moving. When he caught me on set QA’ing his actors, I was quickly summoned to his presence. After he determined I wasn’t a threat, he spoke very candidly about his vision – to tell an honest story.

Photo’s Via: Woohah.com