Aahana Swrup
Inspired by a true story, ‘BMF,’ the crime drama show, follows the narratives of Demetrius “Big Meech” and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory. In the dramatized depiction of their tale, the show follows the two brothers in their run-up to building one of the most influential crime families in the country through their drug trafficking ring, the Black Mafia Family. As the earlier seasons chart Meech and Terry’s climb within the drug world, it showcases their crew’s transformation from 50 Boyz to the BMF as their influence grows in Detroit and eventually the entire country.
Within this transition, the narrative features Woolf Records, Meech’s record store, which operates as an early covert headquarters for the gang members to meet and strategize. As such, given the overexposure of the store’s significance in the show, fans must wonder about the relevance of the business in real life.
Woolf Records and BMF’s Relationship to the Music Industry
Woolf Record’s level of realism remains difficult to garner. In the show, the store comes into being alongside the BMF’s appearance on the DEA’s radar and the Flenory Brothers’ collaboration with the Columbian drug cartel. Therefore, since real-life records of the time before Big Meech and Southwest T came under significant investigation remain scarce, one can’t confirm the existence of a small record shop in Michigan. Nevertheless, considering the involvement of the real-life Flenorys in the show’s development, it’s highly possible Woolf Records materialized as a result of real-life accounts and stories from Big Meech and Southwest T themselves.
Therefore, Woolf Records likely remains a fictionalized version of reality. The set crafted for the on-screen record store holds prominent period-appropriate fixtures and details, allowing the location to blend seamlessly within the show’s 80s setting. Kathrin Eder, the production designer for the show, spoke about the record store’s set creation in a conversation with Spoiler TV and said, “It was so much fun.”
“A lot of anticipation upfront as we didn’t know which artists and original record covers we could get cleared,” Eder added. “We ended up clearing about 80-100 authentic albums and snuck in our own 200 album covers that we created. We had a great team in the art department who hand-made a lot of the signage.” Still, no such prominent stores with ties to the Flenory family exist in contemporary times. However, there remains a significant tie between the Black Mafia Family and the music industry.
The Black Mafia Family attempted to break into the music industry after moving to Atlanta in the early 2000s. Consequently, BMF Entertainment was established as a hip-hop-focused record label and media outlet, most memorably signing Bleu Divinc, a notable rapper. Furthermore, Big Meech maintained connections with artists like Jeezy, T.I., and even Jay-Z through the company. As a result, BMF still remains an often-referenced topic within the hip-hop genres, gathering mentions from artists like 21 Savage, Travis Scott, and others. Thus, Woolf Record’s presence as an early touchstone in Meech’s story in the show also seems to reference the real-life Big Meech’s fascination with music and the music industry.
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