New Jack City & Boyz N the Hood to Be Honored as Hip-Hop’s Influence in Film Continues to Grow

With Straight Outta Compton breaking box-office records and asserting itself as perhaps the summer movie this year, it is hard to ignore the role Hip-Hop has played not only as a cultural phenomenon, but one that commands great attention in the world of film. In a recent announcement, the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) shared their plans for an upcoming celebration of Hip-Hop in film, at their annual awards ceremony on February 10, 2016 in Hollywood, CA. The AAFCA will honor the 25th anniversary of two films that contributed greatly to Hip-Hop’s cultural expansion, both on screen and off: Boyz n the Hood (July 12, 1991) and New Jack City (March 8, 1991).

boyz n da hood

New Jack City

Plans for the tribute include an all-star lineup of presenters and performances, but an official list of names has yet to be announced. Gil Robertson, AAFCA’s president and co-founder expressed that “Hip-hop has had a global impact on pop culture and influenced millions around the world and its impact on Hollywood has been a major game-changer in front of and behind the camera and at box office.” Officially dubbed “AAFCA’s Celebration of Hip-Hop Cinema,” the special segment will pay homage to John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood (Singleton has been named a recipient of the 2016 AAFCA Special Achievement Award, as was producer Jeff Clanagan) and Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City but also “narrative and documentary films that represent the hip-hop culture,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Related: The Friday Soundtrack Turns 20. Here’s Why It’s Still Influential Two Decades Later (Food For Thought)