On June 23, Tyler Perry will receive a major honor at the 19th annual BET Awards when he’s given the Ultimate Icon Award.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, and in a press release the long-running network said the award is being given to Perry for his “continued cultural impact in entertainment.”
Over the course of three decades, the writer and actor has gone from putting on his first major musical “I Know I’ve Been Changed” to having a media empire, complete with his own 330-acre film studio in Atlanta — which he opened in 2015.
That came after Perry opened his first studio in 2006, also in Atlanta, which was 200,000 square feet, and was where he shot more than 15 films, as well as 800 episodes of his various TV shows.
Arguably, Perry is best known for his successful “Madea” films, the latest being “A Madea Family Funeral,” released in March.
And some of his television shows include “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne,” “Meet the Browns” and “The Haves and Have Nots,” which was released on OWN, after he partnered with the network’s owner Oprah Winfrey.
In the press release, BET said the 49-year-old has “Authentically spoken to and impacted black culture and helped shape the future of black entertainment,” which is why he’s being honored.
This year’s BET Awards will be hosted by actress Regina Hall, and some of the performers include Migos, Cardi B, Lil Baby, DJ Khaled,the City Girls’ Yung Miami, Lil Nas X, H.E.R. and Mustard.
Meanwhile, some of the presenters will be Yara Shahidi, Taraji P. Henson, Morris Chestnut, as well as Lena Waithe.
The awards show will also be broadcast live and it starts at 8 p.m. EDT.
