By Sidik Fofana
The Black Mafia Family was not a record label at heart. It was a three hundred million dollar drug cartel. In this ASIS DVD Magazine documentary special, the cocaine-distributing conglomerate is fully exposed from its rise in Detroit to its subsequent fall from its nationwide network.
The forty-minute film serves more as a piece of propaganda than information. It celebrates the illegal enterprises of this band of dealers-turned- rappers as Big Meech, Oo Wee, Bleu Da Vinci, and the rest of the family members adorn the screen as unremorseful sponsors of their crimes.
The documentary begins with unrelated interview clips of the real Rick Ross justifying his path to the narcotics world. His presence lends legitimacy to the Black Mafia Family who aspire to similar infamy. Scenes of backroom paper stacks, gyrating strippers, and elaborate jewelry introduce the viewer to the life of Demetrius Flournoy, aka Big Meech.
The boisterous spearhead of BMF is very candid about his involvement in narcotics. During one segment, he brags about the family’s unprecedented strength of loyalty with the catch phrase, “After us there will be no other.”
Amidst the federal investigation for numerous counts of drug conspiracy and money laundering, the music endeavors of BMF are a mere subplot. The film briefly highlights the entertainment company’s flagship artist, Bleu Da Vinci, and his single, “Still Here” with label mate Oo Wee.
Besides that and a short cameo from Shawty Lo, most of the Hip-Hop conversation focuses on the BMF’s involvement in the beef between Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane. Their war of words resulted in an unsolved murder during an altercation between Gucci Mane and members of Jeezy’s entourage.
As much as this ASIS release portrays the glamour of BMF’s illegal transactions, the film’s producer, Shabazz, cannot escape the harsh reality of each member’s outcome. He admits that the crew would eventually face hostility from the Mexican Mafia Family in addition to several federal cases landing Big Meech in jail for up to twenty years and others members on trial for related charges. Besides another twisted tale of short-lived wealth, ASIS presents The Black Mafia Family does not contribute much to the urban film canon.
