Tyler Perry Speaks Out Against Antisemitism; Says Jewish People Helped Him Grow His Business

Tyler Perry spoke out on antisemitism.

The “Don’t Look Up” actor opened up about his family’s past with prejudice and antisemitism in an Instagram post on October 31st.

Tyler’s post comes as celebrities oppose Donda rapper Kanye West’s remarks on Jewish people.

The rapper tweeted in October that he would go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” a mispronunciation of the US military word DEFCON 3. He later claimed in a “Drink Champs” interview that “Jewish people have owned the Black voice.”

While Tyler did not directly reference Kanye in his post, he gave a history lesson on violence against Jewish people and the impact of Jewish activists in the civil rights movement. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tyler Perry (@tylerperry)

Tyler referenced Jewish founding members of the NAACP and Jewish allies murdered in Mississippi during the action for Black voting rights.

“My mother made sure that I knew the commonality of what black people and Jewish people have endured – she not only taught me about slavery but she also taught me about the Holocaust. But in teaching me about all our common pains she also taught me about the allies that Jewish people have been for black people,” the actor wrote. “I can fill this post with so many examples including my own allies that I work with today who have helped me grow a business that has allowed me to hire more black people than most businesses in Hollywood. No one makes it alone.”