In some ways, the (often heated, and always essential) conversation we’re still having about race today started with BOYZ N THE HOOD. From Ice Cube (who played Doughboy in the film): “I didn’t know how we grew up was even interesting enough to be a movie. But the way John captured it, it was like cinematic beauty.” The movie earned John Singleton an Oscar nomination. The director died on Monday. But not before he changed how Hollywood sees Black America.