Ahead of the season 2 premiere of BMF, iHeartRadio's Jazmyn Summers sat down for an interview with three stars of the show: Lil’ Meech, who plays his own dad Big Meech, Da'Vinchi, who plays Terry Flenory, and Lala Anthony, who plays Markisha Taylor.
What can fans expect this season?
Lil Meech:
Lil Meech: In season two everything is elevated. Everything is pumped up. We have more dialogue, more action, more scenes, more digging deep. I gotta show people that on the first season it wasn't luck. I have to show the world and my dad that I was the right one for this part. I had to put the work in. Everyday I go to set I have to do better than last, 'cause everyday I shoot its like an audition.
How has it been for your dad since BMF aired?
Lil Meech:
He just wants the story to get told the right way. Its therapeutic for me. I can pour all my feelings out during my scenes. I still remember the day he got taken away from me and the first day I walked and [saw] him behind the walls. He never cried before, but he cried that day. It gives me a different type of drive. Like my dad's still in jail. I still feel it. I might smile all the time but it still hurts me when I think about it. There are people who killed people who got less time. I haven’t seen him except behind bars since I was around seven years old. I just wanna hug him and show him much I appreciate all the opportunities he gave me. He was a good father.
Photo: Starz, Wilford Harewood
SPOILER ALERT: There's a period of time when Terry tries to go legit, and he works with his dad on a car service. What happens next?
Lil Meech:
Meech and Terry know that they work better together. Both of their minds together are just genius. They argue and fight all the time, but they love each other. Terry's the little brother, but he wants to be the big brother just cause he's taller. My dad [Big Meech] is a gladiator. Terry is more of the calm, subtle type. I feel like he's jumping back into a legit game cause he's nervous and scared. He doesn't wanna make any of the wrong mistakes and end up paying that price right now. But they started doing this together, and he's this dope boy. True to self. That's who he is.”
Da’Vinchi:
I think it's just one of those things where you wanna do what's right, but what's right ain't getting it done. They were forced and put in this environment that if you don't hustle, it ain't gonna cut it. It's one of those situations, damn if you do, damn, if you don't. I think that's kind of what made him just go back in that direction and hit the streets again and try to team back up with his brother and do it the smartest way possible. But they're just a product of their environment and it's a tough situation. It's so hard to be on an outsider judging if you're not in that situation.
Lala, your character Markisha gets hot and heavy with Terry even though he's with his baby mama LaWanda. Tell us more about your character.
Lala:
She's a woman who's stagnant and not happy in her relationship and meets somebody new that has passion and potential, and she's really drawn to that. Then she's kind of caught in two worlds of being married and now meeting this new guy who's making her feel alive and seen again. The dynamic between Terry and Markisha is a very interesting one because I think at the core of it, she just wants him to be great at whatever it is he puts his mind to.
Da’Vinchi:
With LaWanda it was something that just unfolded. It was something to do when it was nothing to do, and he trusted her. So it was like cool. But with Markisha, it was the first time Terry felt like, yo, I'm actually in love. Like I want this lady. He's a young man so it's like his brain is trying to balance out these two worlds, and he don't even have the proper guidance to deal with the situation. And that's where a lot of his turmoil from this season comes from.
Photo: Starz, Wilford Harewood
Now let's talk about real life. Meech, Da'Vinchi — are you all single?
Lil Meech:
I'm single. I'm single. I'm mingling.
What do you for in a woman?
Lil Meech:
I prefer girls who don't put makeup on all the time. I like women who are natural.
Da’Vinchi:
I'm chilling. I'm happy in that area right now, you know? I have something
Can you spill who, Da'Vinchi?
No names but I've been fortunate enough to make it out of the unfortunate circumstances that I grew up around. So now I'm aware that I got a lot to lose. I can’t get in an entanglement in a situation with a person who is a liability mentally, physically, and spiritually to me. Cause I know when I fall in love, I'm in love. That person has power over you that becomes your kryptonite. So it behooves every man and woman to just really just think twice of who you give that much access and power to. One text or one call, that sh*t could f**k your whole day up. I've been in situations before where it took me outta my character, and I was like, I can never let that happen again. But I’m good now.
This conversation was edited for clarity.
You can watch Jazmyn Summers' full interview with the stars of BMF on Youtube.
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