Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. recently spoke with HipHopDX about his journey to the big screen – as he now plays the younger version of his notorious, yet real-life dad, Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory in the Starz series, Black Mafia Family a.k.a. BMF.
Lil Meech shared that he spent a great deal of time preparing for the role by consistently speaking with his dad — whose currently incarcerated — getting acting classes, and receiving weekly mentorship from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
“50 is like my big brother … my mentor, we talk almost every other day,” Lil Meech tells HipHopDX. “We talk for hours. He literally gets me all the game I need in this film business because he’s a genius. Everything he touches turns to gold. I’m just happy and blessed to even be by his side as one of his associates.
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He calls me all the time and make sure I’m good, like a dad would. He’s like my other big brother [slash] dad. He’s always checking up on me to see if I need something or even if I don’t need anything. He helped me every step of the way into my whole journey … he made sure I was in them classes and made sure I was actually doing it. He didn’t baby me, but he made sure I was good. He wanted to make sure I could do it on my own. That’s why he respects me,” he expressed.
50 Cent has been known for turning young, upcoming actors into stars through his hit-shows like Power, Power Book II: Ghost and now B.M.F., 50 Cent’s series have birthed young stars like Michael Rainey Jr., Donshea Hopkins, Alix Lapri, Gianni Paolo and now Lil Meech.
Both B.M.F. and Power Book II: Ghost were recently neck-and-neck for viewing numbers as 50 Cent incited a “rivalry” between main characters “Tariq” and “Meech.”
“@lilmeechbmf let’s go, time to get busy,” said 50 on an Instagram post a week ago. “Now look BMF Highest rated show but, GHOST it feels like ya might got a problem. @michaelraineyjr LOL IM DON KING IN THIS SHIT! i don’t care who win i’m leaving with the winner.”
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The post kicked off some friendly competition between Meech and Rainey.
Lil Meech responded on Instagram, asking, “Wya Lil Ghost?” Rainey Jr. responded by saying that with Ghost back on the air, they’d retake the No. 1 position in no time.
Although BMF serves as Lil Meech’s first major acting role, the reception for his acting skills has been positive. When asked if there was hesitation to play his father, who was ultimately arrested for running one of the largest drug trafficking and money laundering rings in Michigan’s history, Lil Meech had no worries.
“I don’t know … everybody was supportive of my decision that I talked to,” Meech revealed. “They might’ve been, they might’ve not … but everyone I talked to was supportive.”
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Hoping not to be only known for is role as his dad “Big Meech,” Lil Meech shared that he plans to keep his own identity going forward with any new roles.
“I have my own name, just like my father has his own name,” Meech said. “I want people to see my range, versatility and what I can do – not just playing my dad and someone I know – but playing someone I’m not. I just can’t wait for people to see what I can do.”
Check back into HipHopDX where Lil Meech reveals his next big acting gig.