It's been 15 years since TYLER PERRY released his first Madea movie, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" . . . and according to "Forbes", he's now officially a BILLIONAIRE.
Since then, he's created 22 movies . . . over 20 stage plays . . . 13 TV shows . . . and two "New York Times" bestselling books.
He can credit a lot of his wealth to the fact that Hollywood snubbed him at the beginning . . . so he owns and controls everything he does, and he produces everything at his own studio in Atlanta.
In fact, he became the first African American to own a major movie studio outright.
"Forbes" breaks his fortune down like this:
. . . $320 million in his library of content,
. . . $300 million in cash and investments,
. . . $280 million in his 330-acre studio,
. . . a $60 million stake in BET+
. . . and $40 million in "homes and toys."
Tyler says, quote, "I love when people say you come from 'humble beginnings.' [It> means you were poor as hell . . . Ownership changes everything."