Directed by John Singleton • 1991 • United States
Starring Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube

This shattering vision of gang violence and the young men caught in its cycle charts the diverging fates of three friends—Doughboy (superstar rapper Ice Cube in his film-acting debut), an unambitious drug dealer; his brother Ricky (Morris Chestnut), a college-bound teenage father; and Ricky’s best friend, Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who aspires to a brighter future—coming of age in South Central LA. At just twenty-three years old, John Singleton became the first Black filmmaker ever nominated for a Best Director Oscar for his still-potent debut, which endures thanks to its unforgettable characters and vivid evocation of a troubled but vibrant community.