The most exciting story in show business is always the plucked-from-obscurity, rocketed-into-stardom career. Just think of young Lindsay Lohan bursting onto the scene in The Parent Trap, or all those kids who got their starts on The Mickey Mouse Club. It all turned out so well for them in the end!

Well, let’s at least have higher hopes for Jamal “Gravy” Woolard, who was selected among hundreds of hopefuls to play the Notorious B.I.G. in a biopic about the rapper’s life, Notorious. Variety reports that Angela Bassett, Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie will also star, as Biggie’s mother, Puff Daddy and Tupac, respectively.

Woolard is actually already a little famous. He’s made a name for himself as a rapper, and was on his way to an appearance at the New York radio station Hot 97 when he was shot—in the ass. Instead of running home and crying to mama, he went on with the radio appearance, bullet and all. 50 Cent may talk about being shot 9 times, but appearing on the radio like nothing happened while holding a bullet in your body takes some serious stones.

It’ll be interesting to see what they do with this movie, especially since they’ve got actors playing some really high-profile roles. I don’t envy Derek Luke having to play the very-much-alive, very-much-outspoken Sean Combs, but it might be even harder to take on the role of Biggie or Tupac, given that they’ve been so venerated in the decade since their deaths. Gravy apparently has the rapping skill and charisma to play the part, at least according to Biggie’s mother, so let’s trust the woman who brought him into the world for the time being.