Tyler Perry, who was born Emmitt Perry Jr., has often revealed that his alcoholic father physically abused him.
In a recent discussion with Killer Mike, Perry said that his father’s own childhood caused him to have issues as an adult. Perry Sr. is said to have been “abandoned” and experienced many traumatic episodes by his guardian.
Perry Sr.’s behavior caused his child to change his first name to Tyler at 16-years-old. Years after that, Tyler became suspicious and got a DNA test that revealed that Perry Sr. wasn’t, in fact, his father.
Tyler says that despite the abuse that he went through, he forgives the man that raised him because he knows that’s all that Perry Sr. had seen as a child. He says the man wasn’t “equipped to be compassionate and kind.”
Now, Tyler has bought his father a home close to him and gives him a monthly stipend. Even though they don’t talk, he takes care of him because no matter what harm he caused, Perry Sr. always provided for his family.
