Black Mafia Family - Hip-hop Presence

Hip-hop Presence

In 2004, Da Vinci's album, World Is BMF's, was nominated for a Source Award. BMF appeared in numerous underground hip-hop DVD magazines, most notably several issues of S.M.A.C.K. and The Come Up. The organization's most highly visible appearance was in a full-length DVD that was produced by The Raw Report, which gave a detailed inside look at their movement. The DVD was featured Vibe's cover article on BMF in the May 2006. It received wide acclaim from DJs for the song "Streets on Lock", headed by BMF affiliate Bleu Davinci and featuring Fabolous and Young Jeezy. A music video was later produced for the single, though it was never released to networks.

Creative Loafing senior editor Mara Shalhoup wrote a three-part series about the Black Mafia Family entitled Hip-Hop's Shadowy Empire, which was the first in-depth report on the organization. Her later book on the organization, BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family, was published in March 2010.

Demetrius Flenory was interviewed from prison by the magazines Don Diva and The Source.

Many hip hop artists have been associated with BMF and with Demetrius Flenory in particular, including Bleu DaVinci, Bun B, Fabolous, Slim Thug, T.I., and Young Jeezy.

In July 2010, rapper Rick Ross released a song titled "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)". The song makes reference to Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory as well as Larry Hoover, founder of the Chicago-based street gang the Gangster Disciples. Rapper Young Jeezy released a similarly titled song shortly thereafter, causing a small controversy; however, Young Jeezy has stated it was not in any way meant to insult Ross.

In September 2010, the History Channel aired a segment on its Gangland series about the Black Mafia Family entitled "Death Before Dishonor." The segment included interviews with Mara Shalhoup, the author of Hip-Hop's Shadowy Empire.