John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood was met with significant critical acclaim immediately following its release, nearly 35 years ago. The film released in 1991, and in 1992, Singleton became the youngest director and the first African American in cinema history to receive nomination for Best Director at the Academy Awards. Of far greater significance than its commercial reception, however, is this film’s staying power and striking cultural relevance. A powerful source of contemporary commentary on race in America, Boyz N the Hood doesn’t “feel” 35 years old. Reinforced by a number of social justice principles, the film highlights the socioeconomic challenges that ravaged low-income, Black communities during the 80s and early 90s. And for John Singleton, the undertaking of telling such a story was deeply, necessarily personal.

When he sold the script for Boyz N the Hood, John Singleton had only recently graduated from film school at USC. Very protective of his story (one which was directly influenced by his own childhood), he was determined to direct the film himself so as to preserve his own singular point-of-view. More specifically, in navigating the white-dominant film industry, Singleton was certain that Black stories demanded Black storytellers. “I went into film school with a certain focus,” Singleton told Spin Magazine in 1991. “I was going to make films about my people in a way that was never done before. I was going to be like a filmic soldier. I was going to learn the importance of subtext, of character, and of plot… I said over and over, ‘This is what I want.’ And it happened that way.”

As its recipients, we can celebrate the film’s capacity to “hold up” over the decades since its release. However, we can also lament the societal conditions which have contributed to the issues explored on screen remaining as “felt” and “present” as ever.

For further exploration prior to Sidewalk’s two screenings on February 20th and 23rd, we invite you to read “Boyz N the Hood and the Marginalization of Black Adolescent Males,” an article by Le Shorn S. Benjamin of Central Michigan University. Here, Benjamin discusses the many implications of various social issues on the Black adolescent males featured in the film, “and closes with hypothetical solutions for minimizing their marginalized experiences.” We hope that this, and the other selected readings, will further enhance your experience and appreciation for Boyz N the Hood.

– Education and Outreach Coordinator Peyton Chandler


Boyz N the Hood plays as a part of our Sidewalk Film 101 series February 20 at 7:00pm and February 23 at 1:00pm. You can get tickets here.

August 18-24, 2025

Sidewalk Film Festival

More info
x