BHM Spotlight: Tyler Perry

Photo: Urbanbellemag

February is the special month in which we honor and celebrate African-Americans, past and present, for all their accomplishments in a variety of fields: music, television, film, fashion, business and so much more. Here at Glambergirlblog we want to do things a little bit different. Everyday throughout this month we will spotlight some of the glamberous African-Americans in the entertainment industry.

Tyler Perry went from living in the back seat of his car to becoming a multimillionaire due to his successful career as a film maker, film producer, director and actor. He is a true example of survival of the fittest and not allowing any roadblock to veer him off his purpose in life.

Emmitt Perry Jr. was born on September 13, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Suffering from child abuse, Perry found a silver lining through the hell he experienced. At 16, Perry changed his first name to Tyler and eventually earned a general equivalency diploma, GED. After a series of jobs that led nowhere Tyler found his true calling by watching The Oprah Winfrey Show. 

After saving up $12,000, Perry debuted a musical, that he directed, produced and starred in, titled I Know I’ve Been Changed based on a series of letters to himself about his troubled upbringing in 1992. The show didn’t bring much buzz but that didn’t stop the inspiring entrepreneur. Tyler lived in his car for a bit and kept trying to make his musical a hit. He reworked the show until it became a success; it soon sold out theaters.

Tyler Perry’s alter ego Madea is his most successful brand. That character has appeared in about nine of Perry’s films and several stage plays. Madea has become a major staple in pop culture; making her first appearance in I Can Do Bad All by Myself. Tyler continued to make successful films, stage plays and television shows targeted to the African-American community. With the common theme of family, morals, forgiveness and overcoming adversity; Tyler’s empire has grossed millions from films like “Daddy’s Little Girls,” “Why Did I Get Married?,” “The Family That Preys,” and “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.”

Fun Fact About Tyler Perry: Perry’s book Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life won two Quill Awards – Book of the Year and Best in Humor.