Went to a Movie and Snow!

After days of rain, our once impressive snow piles were sorely lacking. I watched, decidedly unimpressed as bare ground began peeking out in spots - this isn't a proper Utah winter! Last night on our date Chris and I were drenched in rain. I hate being one of those people that complain about weather but that is just not okay in January.

But blessed winter goodness arrived around midnight and my world is once again blanketed in snow. Woo-hoo!

Anyone who read my Diva interview knows my "embarrassed to admit it" secret that I am a die-hard fan of gangster rap. I just haven't been able to completely give it up as it was the soundtrack of my teen years. Yes, it's dirty, foul, angry, sexist... you name it. But wow, it's also fun and raw and real. I've always kept a few albums hidden away to listen to when I need a pick-me up and only Snoop Dogg will work.

Chris surprised me last night with taking me to Notorious the movie about slain rapper the Notorious B.I.G aka Biggie Smalls, Christopher Wallace. It was made by Sean Combs who was his manager, started a label around him and was his closest friend who inspired him to give up hustling drugs and use the gift he was given.


Tupac (2pac) Shakur was his mentor and closest friend until he blamed Biggie for setting him up in 1994 when he was shot five times. The shooting severed the friendship and started the war between the west coast rappers (Death Row Records, notably, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Suge Knight etc) and the East Coast Bad Boy Record label (among others, Lil' Kim, Combs himself, Notorious B.I.G. etc.) headed up by Combs.

The movie was incredible. If you are or were a fan of gangster rap or followed this feud it is a wholly honest and gripping portrayal of one man's life through the lens of those close to him. Written and produced by Combs, it also has Biggie's mom as one of the directors and CJ, Biggie's son plays young Christopher Wallace.

When the movie was over, Chris and were upset that the lateness of the hour meant we couldn't buy another set of tickets and watch it again. It was that good. I'm not sure if the movie would be accessible to people who didn't like that sort of music or to those offended by the constant misogyny and violence. Personally, that's the currency they dealt in so it was no more offensive to me than violence would be in a war movie.

It is definitely R for language and sexuality and the shootings were predominantly off screen and very tasteful.

I'd throw my hands in the air for this movie.

P.S. I didn't add in a lot of links to this post. I figure a lot of you will be wondering why a nice card-making christian girl is posting about this anyhow and the links won't be of interest. For those of you who were fans of Biggie you don't need links to know who the key players were.