Remembering John Singleton
No one thought we would be remembering the legacy of Hollywood trailblazer, Director John Singleton at this time. At only 51, John succumbed to complications of a stroke and passed away on April 29th.
His iconic 1991 film, Boyz n the Hood about an inner-city neighborhood struggling with gang violence in South Central Los Angeles was not only groundbreaking but propelled him to incredible success at the young age of 24.
Singleton received two Academy Award nominations for the film in 1992 and he became the first African American and youngest person ever to be nominated for Best Director.
Boyz n the Hood uploaded by Movieclips.
His masterpiece is a classic and one of the defining movies of the 90’s.
I did John’s first major TV interview on BET just before the 1991 release of the film.
BET’s Bob Johnson sent me to Los Angeles in September of 1990 to set up BET’s West Coast operations. It was clear we were on to something because it was a time when African American talent was on the rise. Our voices were being heard in our own community and elsewhere. The idea of a channel devoted to Black programming wasn’t such an anomaly after all. It didn’t take long before word got out that BET had a studio on West Olive in Burbank, and celebrities would just stop by to see what was happening.
My Show, Live in LA was on the radar so by the time USC student John Singleton finished his film Boyz n the Hood, he was so excited to sit down for his first official interview discussing his directorial debut. I know John didn’t realize he had created a masterpiece that would eventually end up in the Smithsonian.
In fact, in all the years I have known him and watched him turn into a prolific director, he still didn’t seem to acknowledge his special place in history. He has helped so many people get their start in this industry, he was in the middle of telling even more stories about Black life and culture, that his sudden passing will leave a void.
John directed a number of other outstanding films and television series in his career, including Poetic Justice, Baby Boy, 2 Fast 2 Furious, the FX crime drama Snowfall, and several episodes of Empire.
We were going to see so much more from John Singleton. I just wish this wasn’t his time to go. I will miss seeing John at events and at the award shows, but John you will always be a part of my Red Carpet Diaries.
May you Rest In Power my brother!!
Tanya Hart
