The director of 'Boyz N The Hood' was 51 years old – Deadline

John Singleton, director, screenwriter and revolutionary producer, died Monday in Los Angeles after a stroke on April 17. He was 51 years old. A family spokesman said Singleton died peacefully at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, surrounded by family and friends. .

"We want to thank the incredible doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital for their caring and kindness. We wish to thank all of John's fans, friends and colleagues again for all the love and support they have shown during this difficult time, "said the family. said in a statement.

Earlier Monday, the family made the decision to remove Singleton from the respiratory support at Cedars, where he had been in the intensive care unit since his stroke 13 days earlier. Singleton was a victim of a stroke at the hospital and was "under excellent medical care".

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Two-time Academy Award nominee for writing and directing his first film Boyz N the Hood (1991), Singleton was a pioneer of the black cinema. He was a reference in filmmaking and his voice was addressed to an audience with black stories that had never been seen or heard. He shed light on black narratives in the 1990s, adding his pioneering voice to the need for inclusive voices in the industry.

Born in Los Angeles on January 6, 1968, Singleton attended Blair High School, then went to Pasadena City College and then to the USC School of Cinematic Arts. At first, he dreamed of pursuing a degree in computer science, then enrolled in USC's film writing program – the spark that started a career that would make him one of the most influential filmmakers in the world. our era.

After graduating from USC in 1990, he quickly released his first feature film, Boyz N the Hood. It would begin an extraordinary series at Columbia Pictures, where he won the green light for three films in five years – a feat that contemporary filmmakers have rarely equaled – all at the age of 26. Also in Columbia, Singleton was strongly supported by studio head Frank Price, a political curator who reacted strongly to Singleton's family-oriented talent and social message.

the Boyz N the Hood The script was spotted by a studio reader, Jeff Stockwell, who later became a full-fledged scriptwriter. The film essentially puts Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ice Cube on the map as prolific cinematic actors. The film also starred stars such as Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, as well as Morris Chestnut, Regina King and Nia Long. Written and directed by Singleton, Boyz the hood followed three men as they crossed their lives through the barriers of race, violence, cultural identity and relationships in the L.A. neighborhood of Crenshaw.

This brought to light what many would call "urban" cinema when in reality, Singleton was simply telling stories that he knew and thought deserved to be told. He was a black filmmaker who put forward the Black's experience with unprecedented compassion, empathy and brutality. He innovated in several ways.

Boyz N the Hood Singleton won Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director. At the time, Singleton was 24 years old and was not only the youngest person ever to be nominated for Best Director, but also the first Black to be nominated, paving the way for personalities such as Lee Daniels, Barry Jenkins, Jordan Peele and Spike Lee. Boyz N the Hood consolidated its legacy in Hollywood when the US Library of Congress saw it as a culturally important work of art and was selected for retention in the National Film Registry in 2002.

As an example of the film's national influence, Singleton was invited in July 1992 to testify before a Senate subcommittee at a hearing titled "Children at War: Violence and American Youth". With other witnesses, he discussed the possible causes of the rising rate of homicides among American youth, including media violence, drug addiction, and the availability of weapons. Coincidentally, Senator Christopher Dodd, who would chair the MPAA from 2011-17, would chair this group – the Senate Subcommittee on Labor and Human Resources on Children, Family Drugs and Alcoholism. Click here to see Singleton's full story, including his interaction with Todd.

During his stay in Columbia in the 1990s, Singleton added youth, modernity and cultural awareness to a rich mix of talent contracts geared towards more established names such as Penny Marshall, Danny DeVito and Harold Ramis. His production company, New Deal Entertainment, became a training ground for young black executives and a must for black music stars, including Ice Cube and the late Tupac Shakur, who were just beginning to find their way. was reserved for them.

In 1993, he followed Boyz N the Hood with Poetic justice, with Janet Jackson, Shakur, King and Joe Torry. In this dramatic film, the world is seen through the eyes of the rightholder, a poet played by Jackson. In the film, Shakur's character takes everyone on a road trip from Los Angeles to Oakland, where they interact with each other, try to build relationships and handle their own luggage.

In 1995, Singleton continued to explore racial relationships and identity in the college drama. Higher Education, who reunited with Ice Cube and Fishburne. The film featured a cast of stars including Omar Epps, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Connelly, Kristy Swanson and Tyra Banks. This would be followed by many movies, including Rosewood (1997), Baby boy (2001) and Four brothers (2005). He even lent his voice to Hollywood's prominent intellectual property, including Tree redo in 2000 and 2 fast 2 Furious in 2003.

Singleton also served as producer for the critically acclaimed Southern hip-hop drama Hustle & Flow, showcasing the future Empire conducts Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Stephanie Allain to partner with Singleton to produce Brewer's Hustle & Flow which in 2005 put both on the spotlight with his critical success and an Oscar nomination for Howard.

Written and directed by Brewer, Paramount was hard to finance. Singleton believed in it, supported it financially, and won at Sundance in 2005 when he was a resounding success. Everyone was asking for the movie, but Singleton chose Paramount because he promised him two more features. However, Paramount would not keep its promise and Singleton sued the studio and MTV Films for $ 20 million in 2011 due to alleged breaches of the contract and fraud. They finally decided to put an end to the dispute. At the end, Hustle & Flow was made for $ 2.8 million and reported more than $ 23 million.

Singleton continued to be a voice in film and television, defending the black community and encouraging studios to let them get behind the camera.

Singleton said he was delighted to see other black filmmakers equal or surpass some of the brands he had established. "I hope God breaks my record," Singleton said of Daniels just before becoming the second black man nominated for an Oscar. Still, it seems that Singleton's achievements have been momentarily forgotten, as the #OscarsSoWhite movement later excised the Academy of Arts and Film Science and Hollywood in general for their lack of racial and sexual diversity. By that time, Singleton, even though he was still in his forties, seemed to have become an older statesman. Never as pushy as Spike Lee on change, he had already changed the sector.

He pursued and used his platform to tell inclusive stories in movies and on television as a director and producer. He also co-created and produced the dramatic FX series Snowfall, which focuses on the beginning of the crack outbreak in Los Angeles and has been renewed for Season 3. He has also made episodes of Billion, Empire and American Crime Story, in the same way Marion Jones: Press break for ESPN 30 to 30.

"In his private life, John was a loving father, son, brother and friend who supported higher education, black culture, old school music and the power of film," the statement said.

"John's confidence in his place in Hollywood was matched only by his passion for the sea. John kayaked in Marina Del Rey every morning. His greatest joy, when he was not on the set, was to sail on his boat, J's Dream, along the Pacific coast. The American writer Willa Cather once said: "There are some things you learn better in calm and others under the storm. of calm and creativity, he created for many. Now, after his death, we must navigate the storm without him. It's heartbreaking for us.

Like many African Americans, Singleton struggled with hypertension, his family said. More than 40% of African-American men and women have high blood pressure, which also develops earlier in life and is generally more severe. Her family wants to share the message with everyone to recognize the symptoms by visiting Heart.org.

Singleton is survived by his mother Sheila Ward, his father Danny Singleton and his children Justice, Maasai, Hadar, Cleopatra, Selenesol, Isis and Seven.

Details regarding the memorial services will be provided at a later date.