After premiering in 2021 to much buzz, 50 Cent’s drama series BMF is now slated for a second season, scheduled to hit television screens in January 2023. The STARZ crime drama is inspired by the real-life story of Demetrius Flenory, aka “Big Meech”, and his younger brother Terry Flenory, aka “Southwest T”. The brothers founded the notorious Black Mafia Family (BMF) crime syndicate in Detroit in 1989. And established a nationwide drug ring.
Due to the success of the scripted series, STARZ announced an upcoming docuseries produced by 50 cent, entitled The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast. The premiere date for the documentary is slated for October 23.
“The success of BMF demonstrates a continued rise in fan demand and interest in the story of the Flenory Brothers,” said Jeffrey Hirsch, President, and CEO of STARZ, in a statement.
If the BMF story interests you — you’ll want to know more about the real-life Demetrius Flenory. Here are the four things to know about his life, crimes, sentencing, and family.
He started selling drugs in high school
Demetrius Flenory and his younger brother, Terry Flenory, started selling drugs in the late 1980s when they were high schoolers in Detroit.
In an interview with AllHipHop, the older Flenory brother explained that his family struggled financially while he was growing up. And selling drugs was a way to earn the money they needed to make ends meet.
“My brother and I had to find a way to make some fast money, so we hit the streets and came up without having to rob and kill someone,” Flenory said. “It was supply and demand, simple as that.”
By 2000, the brothers were heading a large drug ring with multi-kilogram cocaine distribution in several states, which included Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.
In 2005, the brothers were arrested along with some of their co-conspirators. And sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, in 2008.
He laundered money through his rap label
In the early 2000s, Demetrius Flenory started a rap label and promotions business called BMF Entertainment. The company was mainly used as a front to launder money from the brothers’ drug sales. But it was also a successful business that provided a legitimate source of income.
BMF Entertainment promoted some high-profile hip-hop artists and was the record label for their flagship artist Bleu DaVinci.
He has made several attempts to leave prison early
Demetrius Flenory is currently serving out his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon.
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His brother, Terry, was granted an early release due to COVID-19 concerns and was moved to home confinement on May 5, 2020.
Flenory tried to get the same compassionate release as his younger brother, arguing that he is susceptible to COVID-19 due to his age and health problems. But his request was denied several times, with a judge citing violations on his prison record. And behavior that suggests the drug kingpin hasn’t changed.
Flenory’s sentence was reduced by three years in June 2021 due to changes in sentencing guidelines. His new release date is now set for 2028.
His son is a successful rapper and actor
Demetrius Flenory Jr., also known as “Lil Meech”, is the son of Demetrius Flenory. He is a rapper and actor who rose to prominence playing his father in the BMF drama series.
In an interview with the New York Post, Flenory Jr. revealed that producer 50 Cent got him into acting by suggesting he play his father in the TV series. Flenory Jr. had never acted before but was determined to make his family proud by accurately portraying his father.
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He enrolled in acting classes two years before shooting began and studied for the role by talking to his dad and watching Goodfellas and The Sopranos.
Flenory’s son hopes his portrayal of his father will help audiences understand his story better and not “misjudge what type of man he is.”
“People don’t understand how loving and how much of a caring person he is,” Flenory Jr. told the New York Post. “They only know what they hear. So, this story will help people understand. BMF is much more than drug dealers, much more than mafia or whatever you think.”
