10 Ways Boyz 'n the Hood Changed Hollywood
The film turns 25 years old this year.
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Boyz 'n the Hood Turns 25 - A quarter century ago today, one of the most seminal Black films in history came out and introduced the world to a new generation of talent. Boyz 'n the Hood was a tragic coming-of-age tale that took place in the inner city and depicted that world with nuance, compassion and complexity. On the film's 25th anniversary, we count 10 ways in which Boyz 'n the Hood changed Hollywood.(Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
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Fresh Faces - When Boyz first came out, Cuba Gooding Jr. was an unknown young actor, Cube was only known for his skills on the mic and Laurence Fishburne had just a handful of credits to his name. Thanks to director John Singleton's incredible eye for talent, these and many other players in the film who went on to become the biggest stars of their generation were discovered and given a chance to shine.(Photos from left: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images, Brad Barket/Getty Images)
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Birth of the Rap-Tor - Ice Cube starred as Doughboy in the film, making his acting debut after success as a rapper and pioneering the gangster rap movement. While the role definitely pulled heavily from his personal experiences, his performance crushed it and proved to Hollywood that there was a huge pool of untapped talent in the hip hop community. Cube definitely paved the way for the rapper-turned-actor, also known as the "rap-tor."(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
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Cube's Vision - And speaking of Cube, Boyz wasn't just a one-off foray into acting or a side career to hip-hop. It became his main hustle after he earned rave reviews for the film, transforming him from controversial rapper to household name. Cube went on to write, produce and star in some of the biggest box-office draws of the past few decades, including the Barbershop series and Straight Outta Compton. And it all started with Boyz.(Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BET)
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Major New Talent - John Singleton was just 23-years-old when Boyz came out, introducing one of the most significant new voices in film making. Later, he earned two Oscar nominations for the film (for Original Screenplay and Directing), making him the youngest director nominated to date and the first African-American nominated for Directing.(Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
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Box-Office Gold - Boyz wasn't just a critical fave, it was a box-office smash, too. Made for just $6 million, it went on to gross $53 million at the domestic box office, which was a massive success at the time.(Photo: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)
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Rise of the 'Hood Film - Boyz is not only a classic American film, it kicked off the golden age of the "hood film" in the 1990s. Following the success of Boyz, films like New Jack City, Juice, Menace II Society and dozens more tried to capitalize on the public interest in the genre. Though there are a number of urban classics on the list, none are regarded quite as highly as Boyz.(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Photo By Photo: Columbia Pictures
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Future Stars - Of all the new talent Boyz introduced to the scene, few have come as far as Cuba Gooding Jr. and Regina Hall, who went on to win an Oscar and an Emmy, respectively. Both these talented stars got their start in John Singleton's classic film. (Photos from left: Russell Einhorn/Liaison, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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No Apologies - It's rare, even 25 years after Boyz came out, to see a film that deals with issues in the Black community without looking through the lens of white America. Boyz is an unapologetically "Black" film that deals with serious issues of crime, violence, manhood and racism without the help of a white protagonist for mainstream audiences to "relate" to.(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
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Lessons Not Learned - Sadly, the tragic tale is as relevant today is it was 25 years ago, with many Black communities still facing the same cycle of violence that befell Ricky, Doughboy and the rest.(Photo: Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)