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In the 1980s, the city of Detroit was recognised as the murder capital of America, a title it held since the mid-70s and routinely won throughout the next decade.
It was a city troubled by a history of racial differences, and led in statistics for poverty per capita, infant mortality, and mass unemployment. Detroit also left behind the heroin epidemic of the ‘70s and was pushed into the latest in crack cocaine.
In the Southwest of Detroit, two brothers would take advantage of this new epidemic, heed game from the hood hustlers, and start what has now become a cultural revolution: BMF, aka the Black Mafia Family. Led by Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, BMF was an organisation like no other, one that encouraged non-violence and an endeavour to work and make money together. It was an extension of the values Meech and Terry gathered from home, in brief—a tenacity to look after all that is considered family, as well as the duality of two brothers who are dissimilar men.
While Meech carried the swagger, intention and command, Terry was the more reserved business man with a master plan. Together, they created a drug dealing empire that upheld a philosophy entrenched in family, loyalty, respect and breaking bread with those invited to be at the table. It’s a legacy that goes beyond a simple drug empire the Flenory brothers built, infiltrating hip-hop over the last two decades, impacting the general culture it intertwined with, and making an impression on the law regarding such organised crime from Black communities. BMF’s legacy lives on through the culture it empowered, in places like Atlanta via the spread of strip clubs it helped finance and the artists in the music scene it supported, but that story is now continuing through the medium of television.
In 2019, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson started to develop BMF as a television series for Lionsgate+. Led by Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr, the actual son of Big Meech, as Meech, and Da’Vinchi” as Terry, the show offers a dramatised yet mostly true portrayal of the Flenory brothers coming up as young hustlers heading to the top of the drug trafficking and money laundering game by building towards and establishing the Black Mafia Family.
Its first season shows the trials and tribulations of their come-up, focusing on how they got into the drug-selling business and the ingenious methods they used to maintain a safe environment to operate from. It highlights the difficulties in ideology the brothers had together and how that would come into play with the opposing gangs set in their regressive ways. By its end, we see the brothers make a firm footing in the game as top dealers in Detroit and encourage a near-broken family to accept their newfound money and fame.
The second season, which is streaming now on Lionsgate+, sees Meech and Terry embark on taking their business nationwide with eyes for a global takeover, as well as giving birth to the name and entity BMF.
It’s another season that investigates the now ever-changing familial relationship between Meech, Terry and their parents, Charles (Russell Hornsby) and Lucille (Michole Briana White), who seek guidance from an extravagant Pastor Swift (Snoop Dogg) while trying to encourage Terry back to the straight and narrow. Meech and Terry step into new territory with a seasoned ideology and approach to trafficking that needs new spaces to maximise business. However, things could never be so easy with the approach they want to take. As they battle to dominate these new spaces, they get dragged into contention on unknown streets while the Family reassess the loyalty of some of their own members.
Here’s a brief breakdown of the lead characters to expect in the next season:
Big Meech (Demetrius Flenory Jr)
Having spent the entire first season establishing an ideology of family, respect and a sort of pacifistic approach to dealing in Detroit, Meech ended it by settling his differences with the crazed Lamar and seeing Terry walk away from the business to side with the family away from Meech. Dangling his BMF chain, as the right side of the brain, Meech is full of ideas and great visions but constantly oversteps what would be considered logical. This cements some doubt in some of his followers, who see the business as much more cutthroat, and Meech must address this as he expands beyond the territory he knows.
Terry Flenory (Da’Vinchi)
After receiving settlement money for the damage negligent surgeons caused to his eye, along with his parents, Terry Flenory opted to invest in a local car service business. He is a young man with an opportunity to still go through college, remaining settlement money heaped in a savings account, weighed down by the responsibility of fatherhood and maintaining a steady breaking family. The pressure is on Terry to make pivotal decisions that left him at odds with Meech. While not entirely innocent, he prefers the anonymity from the extravagant and chaotic lifestyle of dealers, like his brother, and considers entertaining his parents’ wishes by sticking with the family business heading into Season 2.
Charles Flenory (Russell Hornsby)
The real man of the house, Charles Flenory is broken down by the chaos of his family unravelling and attempting to salvage it through his seemingly only straight and narrow son. After spending time fixed on Meech’s attempts to help the family with his dirty money, Charles’ eyes gleamed over Terry’s involvement to ensure he doesn’t go to a place of no return. In this next season, Charles and the family will have a business on their hands.
Lucille Flenory (Michole Briana White)
Unlike Charles, Lucille is honest with herself regarding Terry’s involvement. She doesn’t fall for Terry’s baby’s mother, LaWanda’s falsities about what her son does in his spare time. Knowing Terry also sells drugs, identifying the enabling factors and people around him, Lucille endeavours to get the best for Terry while maintaining he can put it all to good use in the family business.
B-Mickie (Myles Truitt)
The third OG of the 50 Boyz Crew, Meech and Terry’s original group, B-Mickie sits below Meech and Terry in the pecking order while having the feeling and thoughts for more. He’s very decisive, trigger happy, and found himself in an interrogation room with an ultimatum that could mark the beginning of the end for what’s not even started.
Pat (Wood Harris)
If you’re making a hood film or TV show and Wood Harris isn’t in it, you should just keep it. A supporting character that acts as a harsh teacher for the Flenory brothers, Pat was the one who put them in the hustling game but he proved to be too small for the potential that is BMF, slowing the boys down in their attempt to thrive beyond his tutelage.
Detective Bryant (Steve Harris)
Steve Harris, the brother of Wood Harris, plays an awkward Detroit detective with decades of experience handling street affairs. He once offered fair council and warning for the non-violent Meech until he breached such a pact. After losing his partner, and interrogating B-Mickie on his involvement in some unsolved murders, Bryant must consider his next steps. Will he expose Meech and risk his career, or continue and leave what is done unsaid? Time will tell.
Monique (Kash Doll)
Caught in an infatuation triangle with a murderer and a drug dealer, Monique’s sole concentration is the protection of her child. Having suffered by the hands of Lamar’s abusive ways, Monique was set free in his killing by Meech.
Pastor Swift (Snoop Dogg)
A Pastor with the aura of an ex-convict turned morally righteous, Swift has an insight to the technicalities of the lifestyle while being a proponent of change. He acts as a great space to vent for the Flenory family, but more so Meech. We can expect to see him next season attempting to uphold the family’s sanity as their lifestyles grow and change.
Goldie (Mo’Nique)
The Black Mafia Family was famed for its work in Atlanta, especially its financial play within its clubs—specifically, the strip clubs. Goldie is a sophisticated strip club owner, knowledgeable about the city and a key player in introducing Meech to a new setup and future for BMF.
Federal Agent Tracey Chambers (Leslie Jones)
A smart and incisive agent with years of street smarts under her belt, Tracey is a drug deal-busting veteran who knows how to play it smart, cool, and rough. She understands the weight of the badge she carries, and yet is smart to utilise her experience to avoid the administrative tasks opting to aim for the heart.
Deanna Washington (Caresha Brownlee/Yung Miami)
An alluring figure who is in and around the family in one of the new cities they visit, Deanna could be a love interest, she could be a major player running the strip clubs. We don’t know yet! But it will be exciting to see Yung Miami in her first acting role.
Markaisha Taylor (La La Anthony)
A dealer with an eye-catching swagger, Marskaisha Taylor didn’t appear much in Season 1, only indicating her presence for the next. As Meech progresses up the ladder of relevancy within the game, we can expect to properly meet La La’s character in Season 2.
‘BMF’ Season 2 is streaming now on Lionsgate+, with episodes dropping every Friday.