Da’Vinchi thinks BMF would have lasted several more seasons with another actor playing Black Mafia Family co-founder Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory — instead of the drug kingpin’s son, Lil Meech.
The actor shared his thoughts on the crime drama’s cancellation during the Oct. 2 episode of former NFL star Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast.
Starz officially canceled the series in October 2025 after four seasons. Newton asked Da’Vinchi if BMF would still be on the air with a different actor playing Big Meech.
“100%, 1,000%,” the actor replied.
Da’Vinchi, who played Meech’s brother Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, praised the cast, producers and writers, but suggested executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson grew tired of trying to “contain” the show’s star.
“Everyone was amazing. But I think that Curtis Jackson’s biggest thing was that it was just really hard to contain Demetrius Flenory Jr.,” he said.
Still, Da’Vinchi said he understood his former co-star’s struggles as he went from a student to a Hollywood star.
“I got nothing but love for him, and I don’t know what it’s like to have that level of pressure,” he said. “Like your dad was the Don and now you’re playing him, and you didn’t even really know who you were, and now you’re becoming famous, and everybody’s looking at you like you’re your dad.”
Related: 50 Cent Confirms Da’Vinchi’s Account on Why ‘BMF’ Was Canceled
BMF premiered in 2021, and followed the Flenory brothers’ rise from poverty in southwest Detroit in the late 1980s to building a sprawling drug empire.
Da’Vinchi noted becoming a celebrity almost overnight was probably difficult for Lil Meech.
“There’s no rule book to fame,” the actor said.
By comparison, Da’Vinchi told Newton playing Terry allowed him to separate the work from his personal life because he was playing a character, with no real-world connection to the role.
Alongside Lil Meech and Da’Vinchi, the main cast included Russell Hornsby, Michole Briana White, Steve Harris, Laila Pruitt, and La La Anthony.
The season 4 finale titled “Dreams Deferred” aired in August 2025. It ended on a cliffhanger with Detective Bryant (Harris) arresting Meech, but the episode ultimately became the series finale.
Da’Vinchi said the writers were already working on season 5 when the show was canceled.
“We could have done six, seven years,” he said. “There was so much material in the story that we’ve never gotten to. It was so many things on T’s side. It was so many things on Meech’s side. Like man, I could have made like $40 million.”
Before the cancellation, 50 Cent and Lil Meech clashed publicly over the actor’s friendships with some of the hip-hop mogul’s rivals.
Lil Meech also faced two arrests in Florida in 2022, first over allegations involving stolen luxury watches. Prosecutors eventually dropped the case, TMZ reported.
The second arrest involved a firearm found in a carry-on bag at a Florida airport. Broward County officials ultimately declined to file charges.
Big Meech was released from federal prison in October 2024, after serving several years for drug trafficking and money laundering.
In April 2025, Vibe reported 50 Cent’s relationship with Big Meech and his son “soured” as the two aligned themselves with Rick Ross, a longtime rival of the G-Unit producer.
After a string of insults played out on social media, BMF appeared to be caught in the crosshairs of the hip-hop rivalry.
Starz later canceled the series.
The public feud marked a change from Lil Meech’s early praise of 50 Cent, for helping him prepare for the role as his father.
In a 2021 interview with Urban Hollywood 411 just before the series premiered, Lil Meech said 50 Cent paved the way for him to star in the series.
“50 Cent actually took and put me in acting classes, and believed in me before anybody else did,” Lil Meech said. “He always knew I was the one for the role.”
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