With the success of Starz’s ‘BMF’ and ‘Black Mafia Family’, the original crime drama provides a witty and engaging take on a sinister past. The film is based on the rise of two brothers who were once swayed by the power of their respective businesses and drug dealers in America.
Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory was not copied by his brother either.
Terry was born in a shack on January 10, 1970, to Lucille and Charles Flenory, who were both very young at the time. He later adopted the name 50 Boyz after discovering that he and his younger brother Demetrius “Big Meech” Edward had a loving sister named Nicole who they had been raised with since they were only 4 and 6, respectively, and they started their own narcotics business during their time in high school in the 1980s.
With Demetrius’ and Terry’s business acumen, the brothers recognized that they needed to broaden their horizons and become part of the Black Mafia Family. They had established strong relationships with the Mexican cartel, a complete receivement center in Los Angeles, and a significant distribution center in Atlanta by 2000, as Southwest Tee handled all aspects of California’s operations while Big Meech managed Georgia. They also divided the workload of at least 11 other states.
BMF Entertainment was founded by Demetrius as a means of funding drug transactions through money laundering in the early 2000s, but the company’s success was unexpected as it transformed into a real-life promoter of high-profile hip-hop artists like Sean Combs and Jay-Z, and even opened a record label for Bleu DaVinci. This brother unknowingly began leading a luxurious life in the public eye, which Terry felt was not receiving the right amount of attention.
Following their disagreement over tactics, the duo soon found themselves in disarray, and the DEA intervened to investigate the pair. By the end of the investigation, authorities had collected enough evidence to convict the Flenorys into conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to launder money, possession with intent to distribute, and several other charges.
In St. Louis, Missouri, Terry was caught, and a recent raid of his home found weapons, hiding, and only minor marijuana. His older brother was caught in a suburb outside Dallas, Texas, along with marijuana, members of a gang, MDMA, and luxury cars. They were both sentenced in November 2007 and faced execution in a federal prison.
Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory has been released from prison without his inmate.
Terry was granted compassionate discharge under supervision, despite being sentenced to three decades in prison. However, he was released on May 5, 2020, after being released due to his genuine health issues, low-risk status, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. His brother Demetrius was denied release under the same guidelines, as evidenced by his inmate disciplinary records.
Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory, 54, is in the Detroit Reentry Center (RRM), where he can spend the night with family members and socializing with hip-hop artists while in captivity. Although he is still in prison, he will be released on August 17, 2025, and it’s safe to assume that he and Demetrius are no longer inseparable, given that he has been using the hashtag #FreeBigMeech on his Instagram account for the past few years, and he has been aspired to be.
