*The teen hood drama “Boyz n the Hood“ marked writer and director John Singleton’s feature debut, and starred Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long and Angela Bassett. The film depicted life in South Central Los Angeles, and was derived from Eazy-E’s song (written by Ice Cube) of the same title.
The film was nominated for both Best Director and Original Screenplay during the 64th Academy Awards, making Singleton the youngest person ever nominated for Best Director and the first African–American to be nominated for the award.
JET had the opportunity to speak with the cast in the July 15, 1991 issue about this story of “brotherhood and lessons learned evolving from boys to men.” The original article revealed a few poignant messages that still resonate today. Check out the highlights below.
READ RELATED STORY: Nia Long on ‘Boyz n the Hood’ 25th Anniversary & Becoming an Oscar Voter (WATCH)
There’s an urgency for Black men to become more involved in the day-to-day lives of their offspring, especially boys:
“Fathers have to teach boys how to be men. The audience will be able to see the direction the characters take when there is the absence or presence of fathers in their lives.” – John Singleton
Displaying the full picture can lead to deeper understanding of circumstances and outcomes.
“You need to show the whole spectrum. Through our eyes. You always see Black female parents. Black fathers can raise their sons to be Black men.” – John Singleton
It is POSSIBLE to rise above your circumstance and take control of your destiny even while enduring the rough.
“Tre wants to do something with his life. He wants to get the education and get out. He wants something better than running around the streets. The film shows how these kids evolved and what routes they took.” – Cuba Gooding, Jr.
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