Tyrese Reveals His Mother Made Him Pretend To Have Special Needs For Government Aid
Tyrese Gibson recently opened up about his challenging upbringing, revealing that his mother used unconventional methods to help support their family.
"My [...] stomach was touching my back. Every form of public aid, WIC vouchers, county checks," Gibson recounted on the 'Million Dollaz Worth of Game' podcast with hosts Gillie Da Kid and Wallo267, discussing his early years.
Growing up in a single-parent home in Los Angeles, Gibson had one brother and two sisters, all raised by their mother.
The 45-year-old described the drastic measures his mother took to secure extra income. "My mama made us go to [the] building and play r-----ed," the 'Transformers' actor revealed. "Straight up – government cheese."
Gibson then pointed out, "You can't arrest my momma 'cause she gone," referencing his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, who died in 2022 after battling COVID-19 and pneumonia. "We passed the window of opportunity."
"She said, 'This is what we're gonna do,' " Gibson recalled of her plan. "'We got to go into this county building and if y'all end up doing this we're going to get $760 a month. And your mama can use this,'" she explained about life with her four children.
Gibson, who was only 8 years old at the time, recalled his mother instructing him to "delay" his answers, which puzzled him at first. She clarified, "'If they ask you what color is the wall, act like [you're] thinking about it.' "
Gibson emphasized that his mother didn't fully explain or use offensive language, saying, "She was just basically like, 'We got to go up in there and make them believe that y'all got some issues.' "
He also shared that he likely underwent an assessment, remembering a woman "talking to me like I'm slow," and that he followed his mother's instructions. "That was my first acting gig," he added.
The 'Fast & Furious' actor expressed gratitude for his current life, acknowledging, "I'm almost at 30 years [of fame]... God's got his hands on me... Every day feels like Christmas."
