SZA’s “BMF” Has Many Nostalgic References — What Does the Song Mean?

In 2024, SZA planted the seeds for another fruitful career. In addition to signing on for a Black, woman-led action film, One of Them Days with Keke Palmer, SZA announced a 19-city tour with Kendrick Lamar. She also debuted her highly-anticipated SOS deluxe album, Lana, in December 2024.

Though Lana came delayed, when it finally dropped on Dec. 20, 2024, fans were more than grateful to listen to the album once it arrived. One of Lana's standout tracks is "BMF."

The groovy nod to the bossa nova genre and the music of the 1960s is catchy, fun, and screams a night out with the girls discussing hot gos. But what does "BMF" mean in SZA's world? Here's what we know.

"BMF" seems to hold different meanings. As Capital Xtra states, the term was popularized in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, when Samuel L. Jackson utters the line "bad motherf---er." BMF can also mean "Big Money Flow," meaning one's money always works for them. Another popular reference for BMF is the Detroit-based organized crime group, Black Mafia Family.

BMF was a drug trafficking organization run by brothers Demetrius Edward "Big Meech" Flenory, Sr. and Terry Lee "Southwest Tee" Flenory. The organization exploded when the Flenory brothers and several other BMF members were arrested in a massive drug raid orchestrated by the DEA. The events leading to their arrests and BMF's formation are highlighted in the Starz series BMF starring Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. SZA references Rick Ross's "Blowing Money Fast (B.M.F.)."

The Detroit gang BMF likely inspired SZA when she wrote "BMF." The song, which was formerly called "Boy from South Detroit," often references a man who is "Young and fine and dark and handsome" who is constantly "bossing" his life up. It also signals that SZA's man has a checkered past, though she can handle it, stating in the song, "I can't give no f---s, you know I'm with all the ruckus, can you?" The song also references "Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, who calls out a "Boy from South Detroit" in the lyrics.

While "BMF" salutes boys from Detroit, the song further supports SZA's love for bad boys. Later in the song, she has her sights set on a "boy on the West side of Compton," stating she "can't keep my panties from dropping" in his presence.

SZA's song, "BMF" seems to have been about her honest take on her romantic relationships. Those familiar with her music knows she's used music to discuss her relationships in the past, and has often collaborated with her friends to do so. Around the time of Lana's release, Indie Feel reported that SZA asked her best friend, Lizzo, to add her voice to "BMF" back when it was called "Boy From South Detroit."

When the article came out in August 2024, it featured a video of SZA singing "Boy from South Detroit" to her audience during one of her sets.

Alas, it's been reported that Lizzo's feature was scrapped by SZA's manager, Punch, once the song morphed into "BMF." SZA and Lizzo haven't discussed the song swap publicly, but they're still in a good space. Additonally, "BMF" is already doing numbers on the Billboard charts.