The film became a critical and commercial success, grossing $57.5 million in North America and earning nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the 64th Academy Awards.

In 2002, the United States Library of Congress deemed it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

[5][6] In 1984, ten-year-old Tre Styles lives with his single mother, Reva Devereaux, in South Central Los Angeles.

Later on, en route back from a fishing trip, Tre and Furious notice Doughboy and Chris being arrested for theft.

Seven years later, Doughboy, now a Rollin 60s Crips member[citation needed] and drug dealer, is released from prison.

Attending his welcome-home party are Chris, now paraplegic due to a gunshot wound, and new friends and fellow Crip members Dooky and Monster.

A visiting University of Southern California recruiter informs Ricky that he must score at least a 700 on the SAT to qualify for a football scholarship.

The next afternoon, Doughboy and his gang notice Ferris and two Bloods members driving through their neighborhood seeking retribution for the previous night's confrontation.

Wanting vengeance, Tre takes Furious' gun and is about to leave to join Doughboy but is intercepted by his father, who seemingly convinces him to abandon his plans for revenge.

[8] During writing, Singleton was influenced by the 1986 film Stand by Me, which inspired both an early scene where four young boys take a trip to see a dead body and the closing fade-out of main character Doughboy.

The role of Doughboy was written specially for Ice Cube, whom Singleton met while working as an intern at The Arsenio Hall Show.

[9] Long grew up in the area the film depicts and has said, "It was important as a young actor to me that this feels real because I knew what it was like go home from school and hear gunshots at night."

[3] He has a cameo in the film, appearing as a mailman handing over mail to Brenda as Doughboy and Ricky are having a scuffle in the front yard.

Filming began on October 1, 1990, in South Central Los Angeles, with several gang members serving as consultants, on "wardrobe, vocal emphasis and dialogue changes" to ensure authenticity.

The website's critical consensus reads, "Well-acted and thematically rich, Boyz n the Hood observes urban America with far more depth and compassion than many of the like-minded films its success inspired.