There are moments in every generation that prove to be pivotal in how that generation is collectively defined. For my grandmother, those moments ranged from the Great Depression to D-Day. My mother’s generation was circumscribed by the assassinations of Malcolm, Martin and the Kennedy brothers. Momentarily skipping mine, today’s burgeoning generation will forever be defined by the day Barack Obama was elected as the first black president of the United States.
While, Obama’s historic accomplishment also resonated deeply within me as a thirty-something African American male, there have been other moments — particularly in the early ‘90s — that helped shape both my world, and my generation.
One such moment came with the release of John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood. Upon its release in 1991, the raw, rugged and gritty film gave voice to a rising level of unrest within the black community. Coupled with the ascent of gangster rap, the film took the problems of the “hood” and spilled them right into the laps of mainstream America.
Twenty years later, Boyz N the Hood still has a profound way of speaking to both the social and economic ills that plague the black community. To honor the impact of the movie, rolling out sat down with Singleton to discuss the film’s significance — both past and present.
Congratulations on the fact that Boyz N the Hood still matters 20 years later. How does that make you feel?
I’m just proud that the movie still has an emotional impact after all of this time. I really love this film, and I am so proud that it still speaks to people in such a profound way. It makes me feel like I made a good movie, and that it’s going to be one that stands the test of time. It was very heartfelt, to the point where if you watch it now, it doesn’t feel dated.
When you look back at it now, does the film mean something different to you now than it did when you originally made it?
No, it means the same thing to me. When I look back on it now — it was a labor of love. At the time, I was young, and very passionate about what I wanted to do. Looking at myself now, I’m not as young, but I’m still very passionate about what I want to say as a filmmaker.
Twenty years ago, the film really spoke to some of the pressing issues within our community. Where do you think we stand today?
I think we’re still going through the same things now that were going on in the film back then. Twenty years is a footnote in history. I know it seems like a lot of time, but it’s really just a small snippet of time.
The movie was a huge step in the advancement of Ice Cube’s career. How do you feel about what he’s done, and what other musical artists are doing as they continue to cross over into the world of film?
First off, I’m very impressed by what Ice Cube has been able to accomplish. I’m really happy to see a friend of mine just grow and prosper in that way. I’ve known him since we were like 19 or 20 years old, so he’s like family to me. He’s also my first movie star. In fact, I knew that he was a movie star before he knew it. So it’s really great. And for the others who are working to cross over in the way that he has, I think that’s great as well. I’m just impressed by the success of so many talented people.
Let’s switch gears and talk about you. What is different about John Singleton 20 years later?
I think that I just know a whole lot more now. I’m not as brash, and I’m more of a gentleman. Back then, I considered myself to be a filmmaker with the bravado of a young rapper. In my mind, I was really like, ‘F— all of you! I know what the f— I’m doing.’ You know, I just had that type of attitude. But I’ve grown a lot since then, and I’m not like that anymore. I’m a lot more mature now.
So do you feel like that bravado worked for or against you as you worked to climbed the power ladder in Hollywood?
I think it worked for me, but I also feel like I may have rubbed some people the wrong way. But you know, I never really thought about it at the time because I really didn’t care. My attitude was that I didn’t want to be one of those people who got compromised by the business. There were so many people that I saw who didn’t have any balls when it came to the business. I didn’t want to be like that, so I said to myself that I was going to go in and not let the business change me. For better or for worse, I was going to be me and just work hard so that my work did the talking for me.
What would you say is the staple to any John Singleton film?
No matter what kind of talent I was able to work with, I always made sure that my movies had a soul to them. They have always possessed an emotional resonance where people could feel what I was doing. People feel something special about what it is that I’m doing. I feel like that is a part of my personality that I bring to each one of these pictures. A lot of people don’t do that, though. There are a lot of times when you go to the movies and you don’t feel shit. You know what I mean? You’ll spend the time to watch a film, but then when you walk out of the movie with your girl, the two of you really don’t know what you just watched because it didn’t speak to you. For me, I just try to make stuff that’s memorable.
You previously mentioned the passion that it took for you to make Boyz N the Hood. Would you say that it is the film that’s closest to your heart?
To be honest, I’m really proud of every movie that I’ve made. I wouldn’t put something out if I wasn’t proud it.
So what’s on the horizon for John Singleton?
Well, I just want to continue to make movies the way that I want to make them. I have the movie Abduction, which comes out later this summer with Taylor Lautner who happens to be the biggest teen star out right now. It’s his first leading film since the Twilight franchise, so I’m excited to see how it does. Trust me though, the movie is hot. Outside of that, I’m just going to continue to push myself to be the best filmmaker that I can be.
To the person reading this who has never watched Boyz N the Hood, what would you say to them, and why should they watch it during this 20th anniversary?
I would say to them that if you watch this movie, it will change your life.
