John Singleton, director of Boyz N the Hood, Poetic Justice, died at Cedars-Sinai hospital today at the age of 51.
Singleton’s family released a statement confirming his death, “We are sad to relay that John Singleton has died. John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends,” the statement read. “We want to thank the amazing doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital for their expert care and kindness and we again want thank all of John’s fans, friends and colleagues for all of the love and support they showed him during this difficult time.”
Singleton had been on life support after suffering a stroke on April 17. He died Monday after he was taken off life support.
Singleton’s debut feature, Boys N The Hood, earned him the Best Director Oscar nomination in 1991, making the first black filmmaker, and the youngest person to be nominated for the award. The film was a groundbreaking portrayal of life in South Central, Los Angeles and the gang culture that permeated it’s neighborhoods. The film also launched the film careers of Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Angela Bassett, Regina King, along with iconic performances from Laurence Fishburne and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Singleton built on the success of Boys N The Hood and cemented his with the critically acclaimed Poetic Justice, starring Tupac Shakur and Janet Jackson.
A string of film and television projects followed, Baby Boy, Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Michael Jackson‘s Remember the Time music video, American Horror Story, Empire among them.
Singleton was an outspoken advocate for black filmmakers, and his influence can be seen in current-day black directors.
As Jordan Peele tweeted, “So sad to hear. John was a brave artist and a true inspiration. His vision changed everything.”
