Billionaire mogul, Tyler Perry, is not letting critics of his work distract him from his true assignment: ministering to the disenfranchised.

Written By Anya Paul // EEW Magazine

Tyler Perry has a message for critics of his films: "I know for a fact that what I'm doing is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing."

The 54-year-old mogul, who heads Tyler Perry Studios, addressed criticism of his work during a recent appearance on the "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" podcast. Perry's latest drama, "Divorce in the Black," starring Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict, was panned by critics, but he remains confident in his mission.

30-year-old host Keke Palmer, an author, actor, singer and performer, who appeared in Perry’s “Madea’s Family Reunion” at age 11, acknowledged “It does get really difficult” to stay true to oneself amid harsh criticism. Perry responded, "You've got to drown all of that out because if you let somebody talk you out of a place that God has put you in, you are going to find yourself in hell."

Perry emphasized that his movies, which he writes, produces and distributes, are for the "disenfranchised" – those who cannot easily access therapy or other resources. He described his audience as "grinders" who understand the experiences of caregivers and service workers.

“We’re talking a large portion of my fans who are disenfranchised, who cannot get in the Volvo and go to therapy on the weekend,” he explained. “So, you’ve got this high-brow negro who is all up in the air with his nose up, looking at everything. And then you’ve got people like where I come from, and me, who are grinders, who really know what it’s like, whose mothers were caregivers for white kids and were maids and housekeepers and all of these beauticians.”

Despite his latest film receiving a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes—the leading online aggregator of movie and TV show reviews from critics—Perry said he's received thousands of emails from viewers saying his work changed their lives.

"Don't discount these people and say their story don’t matter," he said. "Who are you to say which Black story is important or should be told?"

Perry is no stranger to criticism. Academy Award winner Spike Lee previously called Perry's "Madea" franchise "buffoonery," saying, "We could do better." But Perry has emphasized his loyalty is to his audience, not his critics.

Safe to say, Perry remains one of the most successful Black filmmakers in history, undeterred by those who question his approach.

The edited addition is good, but it could benefit from a few adjustments for clarity and flow. Here is a refined version:

“Divorce in the Black,” an Amazon Original that debuted at #1 on Prime Video, follows Ava (Meagan Good), a young bank professional devastated when her husband, Dallas (Cory Hardrict), abandons their marriage. Determined to fight for their relationship, Ava's resolve is shaken when fate intervenes, revealing Dallas' wicked deeds that have trashed their marriage and sabotaged her destiny to be loved by her true soulmate.

At the time of writing, the movie sits at #4 among the most popular films streaming on Amazon.