Singer and actor Tyrese Gibson is sharing his wealth to honor his late mentor and father figure.
A grieving Gibson recently announced on Instagram the passing of his long-time role model, Reggie Andrews, a beloved songwriter and music educator who mentored Gibson and various other artists. Gibson credits his career milestones to the guidance of the late musician. Gibson released his debut album in 1998, and went on to become one of the most popular R&B artists in the 1990s and early 2000s.
According to Billboard, Andrews passed away at the age of 74. To help keep his memory alive, Gibson decided to pay tribute to his idol by gifting families in need with some cash.
“Something my father would do…,” wrote the “Baby Boy” actor in a recent Instagram caption.
Paying it Forward
Gibson announced that he would give away $100 per family for 60 families for a total of $6,000 during a church service at the newly opened John Gray’s Relentless Church in Atlanta.
“I’m going to church and whoever shows up I’m going to bless you ’cause you’re about to bless me from accepting my invite,” Gibson said in the July 24 post.
Within the past couple of years, Gibson has grieved over the deaths of some of his closest friends and family, including his mother who passed away after battling pneumonia, COVID-19 and other health complications.
According to The Shade Room, a churchgoer witnessed Gibson’s generosity and expressed her gratitude to the actor for his outreach in assisting families during tough economic times.
“Tyrese got up to speak because he had the spirit of giving on his heart,” the woman wrote. “He gave $6,000 for the church to disperse ($100 increments) to those in need.”
The church, which opened in March 2021, set a goal of having the facility fully paid off by the end of the year. Gibson has committed to donating $111,000 to aid the church’s founding pastor, John Gray, in becoming several steps closer to making that goal a reality.
Making Money in Music and Movies
The Grammy-nominated singer and “Fast & Furious” blockbuster franchise actor has amassed a net worth of $6 million, as reported by some outlets and $15 million, as others report. He has made a name for himself in both the music and film industries and has starred in multiple hit films.
‘Desperate and Broke’
In 2017, Gibson posted a message on Instagram, claiming he was “desperate and broke.” This came in the midst of his highly publicized legal battles over support and child custody with his ex-wife, Norma Mitchell, whom he’d married in 2007. They divorced in 2009.
In the post, Gibson said he was upset at The Rock for his delaying a future “Fast And Furious,” Celebrity Net Worth reported. Gibson claimed he was in need of the “paycheck because his ex had bled him dry between child support and legal fees,” the outlet reported. He also said he borrowed $5 million from Will and Jada Smith.
In the video, the “Fast and the Furious” star also said his child support was high: “I’m at $13,000 a month — what more do you want from me?”
In 2017, Gibson’s ex-wife got a restraining order against him; by then, he had remarried — to Samantha Lee. Mitchell alleged that Gibson abused her and their daughter. The next year was marked by a bitter custody battle between Gibson and Mitchell.
Gibson claimed his monthly income to be at $105,000 and his monthly expenses as $107,000, according to court papers from around the same time. He said he had $900,000 in the bank and real estate assets worth $1.7 million. He also listed a debt of around $133,000 owed to his legal team.
Real Estate Assets
The same year Gibson announced he was “broke,” he and his new wife paid $4 million for a 25,000 square-foot mansion in Atlanta’s Buckhead suburb, Celebrity Net Worth reported. The home featured seven bedrooms, nine-and-a-half baths and a recording studio.
He also had other real estate holdings and, in 2021, he listed a Woodland Hills, California, home for sale for just under $3.5 million. The sell price dropped to $2.9 million in January 2022.
