John Singleton’s Legacy

Earlier this week, we lost a directorial icon. John Singleton. As someone who has been a fan of his work throughout the 90s and the new millennial, I was somewhat upset about his passing. His films were milestones in my community because they were authentic narratives that had powerful messages. The cinematography and breakout star power were an added bonus as well.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, John Daniel Singleton studied screenwriting at the University of Southern California. His breakout film, Boyz n the Hood, led Singleton to become the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award. He followed that success by directing Michael Jackson’s Remember the Time music video, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, Rosewood, and a host of other classics. By the 2010s, Singleton began working on a few television series like The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

I came across an interesting article that gave a detailed analysis on Black fatherhood in Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood, and you can check it out by clicking here. Although his life was cut short, his legacy will live on forever.

Rest In Peace