Armed with a sharp, often raucous sensibility and a desire to craft entertainments anchored by melodrama, faith, love of family and an affection for black culture, Perry in the past few decades single-handedly built an empire of popular plays, movies and TV shows that established him as the most successful African American filmmaker in history. Supporting his work was a fiercely loyal, primarily African American audience, and his relentless drive — he produced, wrote, directed and often starred in his projects — was supplemented by his unwavering determination to maintain ownership and creative control of his brand.
