John Singleton

<p>John Singleton (1968-2019) rocketed from obscurity to the top ranks of Hollywood directors in 1991 when he released his debut film Boyz N the Hood. The poignant coming-of-age story set in the streets of south central Los Angeles where Singleton grew up amid gang violence and hip-hop music earned him Oscar nominations for best original screenplay and best directing. Only twenty-three at the time he was hailed as a wunderkind and compared to the young Orson Welles. Some have credited him with the mainstreaming of hip-hop music and style in cinema.</p><p>John Singleton: Interviews spans his transformation from USC film school sensation to seasoned director and producer. The collection includes lengthy interviews in-depth profiles and up-close glimpses of Singleton filming on location.</p><p>Since his auspicious debut Singleton has continued to make gritty character-driven "hood movies" that still speak to a mainstream audience. He has made films in a variety of genres including romance (Poetic Justice) satire (Baby Boy) action (Shaft 2 Fast 2 Furious) revenge drama (Four Brothers) and historical drama (Rosewood).</p>