Words by: Sentwali Holder

Curtis “50-Cent” Jackson’s highly anticipated series Black Mafia Family, based on the crime syndicate of the same name has just announced its first cast members.  This marks the first series produced by Jackson’s G Unit Television at Starz, outside of the enormously popular Power universe.

Set in Detroit, Black Mafia Family has officially cast Russell Hornsby and Steve Harris as series regulars with Detroit rapper Arkeisha “Kash Doll” Knight in a recurring role.  Along with Jackson, the series will be written by Randy Huggins who will also serve as executive producer. 

From the official description: Black Mafia Family is inspired by the true story of two brothers who rose from the decaying streets of southwest Detroit in the late 1980s and gave birth to one of the most influential crime families in this country. Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory’s charismatic leadership, Terry “Southwest T” Flenory’s business acumen and the fraternal partnership’s vision beyond the drug trade and into the world of Hip Hop would render the brothers iconic on a global level. Their unwavering belief in family loyalty would be the cornerstone of their partnership and the crux of their eventual estrangement. This is a story about love, kinship and capitalism in the pursuit of the American dream. The key roles of Big Meech and Southwest T have not been cast yet.  Hornsby will play Charles Flenory, “the principled patriarch of the Flenory family and a struggling musician who uses faith, fortitude and humor to keep his family on the straight and narrow as he tries to save Terry from the outsized ambition and influence of his older brother Demetrius.”

Harris plays Detective Bryant, “a 20-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, who has a longstanding relationship with Demetrius Flenory. When Detective Bryant gets assigned to the Down River Area Narcotics Operation – a real-life, county-wide assault team on all local drug operations – he is put in direct conflict with Demetrius. Bryant will be forced to choose between his career and his loyalty.”

Rapper turned actress Kash Doll, is Monique, “a paralegal for the biggest defense attorney in Detroit and a strong single mom determined to give her daughter a better life. When it comes to being a parent, she’s a practical provider. But away from work and home Monique is creative, adventurous, and one of Demetrius Flenory’s lovers. But Meech and Monique’s relationship is much more than just sex and pillow talk: Monique’s firm represents some of the biggest drug dealers in the city, which gives Meech and Terry an advantage in their rise through the streets.”

The series begins filming in Atlanta and Detroit in 2021. Terri Kopp, Anthony Wilson, and Anne Clements will also serve as executive producers.  G-Unit Television is producing the Black Mafia Family in association with Starz and Lionsgate Television.