Tyler Perry says no to handouts — even for family
Speaking on the YouTube series Den of Kings, Perry shared his views during a candid conversation with host Kirk Franklin and guests Derrick Hayes and Jay 'Jeezy' Jenkins. He recalled how one of his aunts repeatedly asked for money, prompting him to offer her a job instead.
'She said she wanted a job. She would always call asking for money, and I would send it,' Perry explained. 'I said, 'Listen, I want to help you. I want to help you build this thing, not be welfare to you. So, let me give you a job.''
However, when the relative began calling in sick frequently, Perry drew the line.
''Well, you gotta go,'' he recalled telling her. 'Because you want me to hand you the money, but you don't want to work for it. See, that doesn't work for me.'
The Madea creator, who owns 100% of the projects he produces, said the same principles apply to how he raises his 10-year-old son, Aman. 'I don't believe in giving us things that are just going to handicap us,' Perry said. 'That is the worst thing you can do.'
Following the death of his mother in 2009, Perry sent letters to relatives she had asked him to support, informing them that they had 60 days to find employment. All of them eventually did.
'It wasn't even, like, jobs where they made a lot of money, but it was a job,' Perry said. 'It was something else for them to do, feel some pride in. That's the same thing I would want someone to do for me.'
Perry's business empire includes his highly successful Madea franchise, which has grossed over $660 million. Forbes estimates his current net worth at $1.4 billion.
The filmmaker also revealed in December 2024 on The Sherri Shepherd Show that his son Aman only receives 'books and Legos' for Christmas and that the two often fly coach, reinforcing Perry's commitment to humility and self-sufficiency.
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