Big Sean recently witnessed his family’s history brought to life on screen, thanks to Tyler Perry. On Tuesday (December 10), he attended the premiere of Netflix’s The Six Triple Eight, written and directed by Perry. The story holds a personal connection for the Detroit rapper.
The film tells the true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black, all-female WWII unit. Big Sean’s grandmother, Mildred Virginia Dupee Leonard, served in that battalion. To honor her, he carried her photo on the red carpet.
The day after the premiere, Big Sean shared photos on Instagram, expressing gratitude to Tyler Perry for the film. He also praised Kerry Washington, who plays Charity Adams, and Oprah Winfrey, portraying Mary McLeod Bethune. “I’m forever grateful to @tylerperry for telling the incredible story of The 6888!!” he wrote.
Big Sean shared how meaningful it was for his family to honor his grandmother through the film. He expressed pride in seeing her name among other strong women and called it a miracle. “I can’t wait to show my son what his great-grandmother was part of when he’s older,” he wrote.
@entertainmenttonight Big Sean is honoring his late grandmother Mildred V. Leonard at the premiere of upcoming war drama 'The Six Triple Eight' 🥹 #bigsean #thesixtripleeight #wwii #music ♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight
While honoring his grandmother, Big Sean has also been addressing public pressure.
Fans have been urging him to marry his longtime girlfriend, Jhené Aiko. Last month, Big Sean was asked by TMZ if he felt pressured to marry Jhené Aiko. This came after she was spotted wearing a ring. He simply replied, “No, I didn’t.” Big Sean downplayed marriage pressure, saying, “Life is short, bro, so you got to do what you feel.” The 36-year-old added, “She is the best, though, I’ll tell you that.”
