Jeffrey Brown:

John Singleton's 1991 film "Boyz n the Hood," set in his own hometown of South Central Los Angeles, told the story of three teens struggling to grow up amid violence and gang culture, a world rarely portrayed by Hollywood.

He was just 24 years old and became both the youngest person and first African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award for best director. He was also nominated for best screenplay. The movie served as a launching pad as well for actors with big careers to come, including Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Regina King, and Ice Cube.

Speaking at the Austin Film Festival in 2016, Singleton told of his determination to direct the film when meeting with executives.

The interview aired on the PBS series "On Story."