Tyrese Reflects on Pretending to Have a Disability for Government Assistance: "That was my first acting gig.”
In a revealing episode of "Million Dollaz Worth of Game", Tyrese Gibson shared a deeply personal story from his childhood, shedding light on a surprising aspect of his upbringing.
Sitting down with hosts Gillie Da Kid and Wallo, Tyrese opened up about a scheme his mother orchestrated to secure financial support for their family.
The actor and musician recalled how, as a child, he and his brother were instructed to feign a mental disability in order to receive government assistance.
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Tyrese didn’t hold back as he described the experience. He recounted. With a mix of humor and nostalgia:
“My mama made us go to Social Security building and play r*****ed, Straight up, government cheese, That was my first acting gig.”
Tyrese Says His First Acting Role Was Faking a Mental Disability for Extra Cash:
Tyrese says when he was young his mom made them act retarded at the social security building to get $780 a month
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) August 25, 2024
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The rawness of his story struck a chord with the hosts, and Wallo even dubbed Tyrese’s mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, as his “first director.”
This was a moment of unfiltered honesty from Tyrese, who acknowledged that he had never spoken about this publicly before.
Staring directly into the camera, he made it clear that he wasn’t afraid of any repercussions, noting that his mother had passed away and could no longer be held accountable.
“Hey, you can’t arrest my mama, n***a, she gone. F*ck outta here, government. We passed the window of opportunity.”
Tyrese went on to explain that at just eight years old, he and his brother were coached by their mother on how to act during their visit to the county building.
“I’m like 8 years old and she said, ‘This what we gon do. She said, ‘We gotta go into this county building and if y’all end up doing this, we gonna get $760 a month. And your mama could use this, I’m here, we in the hood, I’m working and trying to keep up. This for y’all. You got your two sisters, your brother.’”
Although she didn’t explicitly use the term, it was clear that she wanted them to appear as though they had a mental disability, with the goal of securing $760 per month per child—a significant amount for their struggling family.
The actor further clarified that both he and his brother were each supposed to receive $762 monthly as part of the plan.
Tyrese’s mother, Priscilla, was determined to find a way to make ends meet, even if it meant bending the truth.
Sadly, Priscilla Murray Gibson passed away in February 2022 due to complications from COVID-19 and pneumonia.
She was in a coma at the time of her death.
Tyrese’s candid story adds a new layer to the artist’s life, offering insight into the struggles his family faced and the lengths to which his mother went to provide for them.
His revelation also underscores the resilience and creativity that often emerge from hardship, even in the most unconventional ways.