30 Best Movies Like Boyz N The Hood

Best Movies Like Boyz N The Hood in 2022

Below, you will find a list of the best movies from the last three decades related in some way to Boyz N The Hood. Most of the films mentioned here are crime dramas that will leave a lasting effect on your mind and introduce you to the lifestyle in the hood. You can navigate from the below table to quickly open the movie that appeals to you the most.
Note: The Rotten Tomatoes ratings are in Expert/Audience format.

1. Menace II Society (1993)

IMDb: 7.5Rotten Tomatoes: 84%/93%Director: The Hughes BrothersWriter: Tyger WilliamsCast: Tyrin Turner, Jada Pinkett, Bill Duke, Charles S. DuttonRuntime: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Menace II Society is a teen drama film and the directorial debut of The Hughes Brothers. The film follows the life of Kaydee “Caine” Lawson and his close friends. It shows how an intelligent child is raised in harsh circumstances only to meet the fate he always hated. The movie talks about Caine and countless others like him who fell victim to an environment that doesn’t let the natural brilliance prosper. Instead, they are forced to choose the gangster life, which never ends in peace. The movie is conceptually similar to Boyz N The Hood, and you would definitely like it if you like the other.
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2. Juice (1992)

IMDb: 7.oRotten Tomatoes: 79%/90%Director: Ernest R. DickersonWriter: Gerard Brown, Ernest R. DickersonCast: Omar Epps, Jermaine Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Tupac ShakurRuntime: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Juice is a 1992 American crime thriller movie focused on four friends and their struggles growing up in Harlem. The kids fall in constant trouble with police harassment, rival neighborhoods, and families. They habitually pick up stuff from shops and commit small robberies. Still, they dream of giving up this life and becoming a responsible citizen. However, their life takes a big turn after an unfavorable incident. The film shows how hard it can be to get away from the crime life once you are in.
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3. The Wood (1999)

IMDb: 7.0 Rotten Tomatoes: 61%/92%Director: Rick FamuyiwaWriter: Rick Famuyiwa, Todd BoydCast: Taye Diggs, Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones, Sean NelsonRuntime: 1 hour, 46 minutes

The Wood is a 1999 American coming-of-age film showing the lives of 3 friends growing up and learning the essential things in life. The movie begins with one of the friends getting married but goes missing a few hours before. The other two find him, and they reminisce about their lives as teenagers growing up together. The movie is a lightweight, fun watch that introduces you to a teen’s life’s misadventures, love, and crazy things. Similar to The Boyz N The Hood, the movie shows the importance of friendship without portraying a life of crime life. 
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4. New Jack City (1991)

IMDb: 6.6Rotten Tomatoes: 77%/80%Director: Mario Van PeeblesWriter: Thomas Lee Wright, Barry Michael CooperCast: Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Chris Rock, Bill CobbsRuntime: 1 hour, 40 minutes

New Jack City is a 1991 American crime thriller film inspired by a true story. Nino, played by Wesley Snipes, and his gang is based on the Chambers Brothers, a gang that ruled Detroit in the 1980s. It follows the rise of Nino as a drug lord in New York City in the middle of the crack epidemic. Scotty, played by Ice-T, is an undercover detective who vows to bring Nino and his gang down. He enters the gang to leak out internal information to the police. The movie shows the cat and mouse chase between the police and the criminals while the latter relies on friends and family for survival. Watch Trailer here

5. Baby Boy (2001)

IMDb: 6.4Rotten Tomatoes: 71%/87%Director: John SingletonWriter: John SingletonCast: Tyrese Gibson, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames, Omar GoodingRuntime: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Baby Boy is a 2001 American coming-of-age movie coming from the director of Boyz N The Hood. In this movie, the award-winning director proved that he knows what it feels like growing up in the hood. The film follows Joseph “Jody” Summers, a bicycle mechanic who grows up with his single mother, girlfriend, and friends in the less developed area of Los Angeles. We see a reckless young man living without a care for the world. However, things suddenly change when the criminal tendencies threaten his girlfriend and baby in society. You will find the movie charming, heartfelt, and personal as you can relate to the characters and the emotion they are going through.
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6. Dope (2015)

IMDb: 7.2Rotten Tomatoes: 88%/83%Director: Rick FamuyiwaWriter: Rick FamuyiwaCast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel ImanRuntime: 1 hour, 43 minutes

If you like a fun story consisting of a gang of friends getting in trouble every once in a while, you will find Dope amusing. This 2015 American coming-of-age comedy movie takes place in Inglewood, California, a high crime zone. The group of three geeky friends concerned only about studies find themselves in the middle of a drug deal gone wrong. The series of events creates a high dose of laughter, making your stomach hurt. In addition, it’s great to watch how the geeks use their intelligence to handle situations, especially Shameik’s performance.
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7. Fresh (1994)

IMDb: 7.5Rotten Tomatoes: 88%/91%Director: Boaz YakinWriter: Boaz YakinCast: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N’Bushe WrightRuntime: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Fresh is a 1994 American crime film and Boaz Yakin’s directorial debut. The movie follows a teen boy named Michael; everyone calls him Fresh. He is involved in drug deals and is stuck between the crime life with his drug addict sister. However, inspired by a chess lesson by his father, a speed chess master, Fresh decides to bring himself out of the dangerous job. The movie wasn’t a box office success but won considerable critical acclaim. It shows the dangers of growing up in the crack epidemic quite brilliantly. The film stars some famous faces of our time in their early years. 
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8. Clockers (1995)

IMDb: 6.9Rotten Tomatoes: 72%/74%Director: Spike LeeWriter: Richard Price, Spike LeeCast: Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi PhiferRuntime: 2 hours, 8 minutes

Clockers is a 1995 American crime drama film adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Richard Price. The movie takes place in New York, where a small-time drug dealer finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. What appears like a simple confession opens up layers of hidden plot in the story. The film didn’t do great at the box office and had to bear losses. However, critics highly praised it, mentioning it as a deeply emotional story. The movie mostly runs in flashes and jumps between stories. It can be hard to follow but will keep you hooked to your seats.
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9. Cooley High (1975)

IMDb: 7.1Rotten Tomatoes: 85%/89%Director: Michael SchultzWriter: Eric MonteCast: Glynn Turman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Garrett Morris, Cynthia DavisRuntime: 1 hour, 47 minutes

Cooley High is a 1975 American coming-of-age story of two best friends studying as seniors in high school. The comedy movie shows the duo’s fun adventures in their last week of senior year. It is a lightweight watch that proved to be a milestone in American-African cinema. The movie was a box-office hit and grossed $13 million domestically. It was an excellent earning at the time of the movie’s release. The film also won several mentions in the greatest movies of the time, like the best movies by Entertainment weekly and the year’s highest-grossing movies.  Watch Trailer here

10. South Central (1992)

IMDb: 6.8Rotten Tomatoes: 100%/83%Director: Stephen Milburn AndersonWriter: Stephen Milburn AndersonCast: Glenn Plummer, Carl LumblyRuntime: 1 hour, 39 minutes

South Central is a 1992 American crime drama adapted from the 1987 fictional novel, The Original South Central L.A. Crips by Donald Bakeer. The movie follows a father-son duo living apart after the father, Bobby, is jailed on a murder charge. His son, Jimmie, follows his father and becomes a gang member. However, when Bobby comes out of prison, he seeks to choose a decent life and tries to convince his son to do the same. However, the change seems confusing, and it will be hard for Booby to make his son a responsible man. 
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11. American Gangster (2007)

IMDb: 7.8Rotten Tomatoes: 80%/89%Director: Ridley ScottWriter: Steven ZaillianCast: Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba, Gooding Jr., Josh BrolinRuntime: 2 hours, 27 minutes

American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime film loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a La Grange, North Carolina’s gangster. He is known for smuggling heroin into the United States using the American service planes returning from the Vietnam War. The gangster was later caught by a task force led by detective Richie Roberts. The movie takes us into the life of Frank Lucas and his morals. However, the writers have taken the creative liberty to add exciting plot points to make the movie more interesting. The film won a lot of praise from the audience and critics equally. In addition, Ruby Lee was heavily applauded for her acting performance. 
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12. Do the Right Thing (1989)

IMDb: 7.9Rotten Tomatoes: 93%/89%Director: Spike LeeWriter: Spike LeeCast: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo EspositoRuntime: 2 hours

Do the Right Thing is a 1989 American comedy-drama starring some renowned names of our time. The movie is a humorous take on racial tension between Italian-American Pizzeria owners and the residents of an American-African neighborhood. It takes place on a hot summer afternoon in the Brooklyn neighborhood. An argument arises when a black man demands to place a black celebrity photo on the wall of fame in the Pizzeria, which the owner denies. After exchanging a lot of insults, the locals decide to force the changes. However, the events take an unfortunate turn, and things lead to violence. The movie won several awards and was preserved by the Library of Congress in 1999.
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13. Paid in Full (2002)

IMDb: 7.0Rotten Tomatoes: 53%/93%Director: Charles Stone IIIWriter: Matthew Cirulnick, Thulani Davis, Azie FaisonCast: Wood Harris, Mekhi Phifer, Cam’ronRuntime: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Paid in Full is a 2002 American crime drama whose title is adapted from the 1987 album and song by Eric B. & Rakim. Meanwhile, the main characters are inspired by the famous drug dealers from 1980s Harlem. Set in the 80s, the movie will take you on a nostalgic trip if you grew up in the pre-internet era. The film focuses on a young man from Harlem who builds an illegal empire to cope with the rising drug use scene. However, others aren’t happy with his quick success and try to pull him down. The film got mixed reviews and performed moderately at the box office. Still, it managed to win the audience’s hearts and gained a cult following in later years. 
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14. Hoodlum (1997)

IMDb: 6.3Rotten Tomatoes: 43%/65%Director: Bill DukeWriter: Chris BrancatoCast: Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, Vanessa Williams, Andy García, Cicely TysonRuntime: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Hoodlum is a 1997 American crime drama fictionalized around the war between black gangsters and the Italian/Jewish mafia alliance in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Both parties are interested in taking control of illegal gaming in Harlem. The white syndicate boss, Lucky Luciano, proposes negotiations that never come into action leading to blood flow between the gangs. The black gang leader, Bumpy Johnson, gets imprisoned and comes out of jail after a few years. Instead of going for revenge, he chooses a different path from his previous life.  Watch Trailer here

15. City of God (2002)

IMDb: 8.6Rotten Tomatoes: 91%/97%Director: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia LundWriter: Bráulio MantovaniCast: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Jonathan Haagensen, Phellipe HaagensenRuntime: 2 hours, 10 minutes

City of God is a 2002 Brazilian epic crime film adapted from the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins. Writer Bráulio Mantovani also included some actual incidents from the 1970s in the story. The movie explores the rise of organized crime in the Cidade de Deus, translated as the city of god in Portuguese, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. By the end of the movie, we see a conflict between drug lord Li’l Zé and vigilante-turned-criminal Knockout Ned. The film is highly praised and was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2004. Some critics have also mentioned it as one of the best movies of all time. 
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16. New Jersey Drive (1995)

IMDb: 6.6Rotten Tomatoes: 62%/84%Director: Nick GomezWriter: Nick GomezCast: Sharron Corley, Gabriel Casseus, Saul Stein, Gwen McGeeRuntime: 1 hour, 38 minutes

New Jersey Drive is a 1995 crime drama movie following a bunch of teens enjoying stealing cars and joyriding them. It was common at the time in Newark, New Jersey, the unofficial car theft city of the world. However, things take a hard turn when the kids steal a police car. After the incident, police took heavy actions, including beating and shooting the suspects. New Jersey Drive is one of the few movies that show what it looks like growing up in the hood. The film is similar to Boyz N The Hood in a manner that shows how young boys fall prey to the criminal life around them.
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17. Blue Story (2019)

IMDb: 6.2Rotten Tomatoes: 93%/66%Director: RapmanWriter: RapmanCast: Stephen Odubola, Micheal Ward, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Khali BestRuntime: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Blue Story is a 2019 British musical crime drama film based on Rapman’s 2014 YouTube series of the same name. Picked up from true events, the movie follows two best friends Marco and Tommy, from two different areas of London. They find themselves becoming rivals in a violent and insidious postcode war. Both the gangs are fictionalized around real gangs named Peckham Boys and Ghetto Boys. The movie became a huge success earning four times its budget at the box office. Moreover, it also bagged the BAFTA Rising Star Award for Micheal Ward’s performance.
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18. City of Men (2007)

IMDb: 7.2Rotten Tomatoes: 74%/78%Director: Paulo MorelliWriter: Elena SoarezCast: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos SantosRuntime: 1 hour, 46 minutes

City of Men is a 2007 Brazilian drama film picked up from the T.V. series Cidade dos Homens that ran for four seasons in Brazil. The series was created after the success of City of God, released in 2002. The story continues that of City of God and explores the events in Ace and Wallace’s life in Rio de Janeiro. As both of them come of age, a war between rival drug gangs occurs. Both of them discover things about their fathers, which at first seems a good story but is shortly revealed to be indecent. Fearing it might tamper with their friendship, they decided to leave “the Hill” and lead a responsible life. 
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19. Kidulthood (2006)

IMDb: 6.7Rotten Tomatoes: NA/77%Director: Menhaj HudaWriter: Noel ClarkeCast: Aml Ameen, Noel Clarke, Red Madrell, Adam Deacon, Jaime WinstoneRuntime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Kidulthood is a 2006 British drama film revolving around a few teen kids in Ladbroke Grove, an area of inner west London. The story shows the troubled life of these teens when a girl from their school commits suicide. The exciting story and hardships demonstrated at such a young age relate to the generation-z. It played a significant role in the movie’s success, which led to more sequels making it a franchise. At times the film shows great humor, and you can’t stop laughing. The movie condenses the violence, intimacy, and intoxication in a single day of the teens’ life, making the story fast-paced and enjoyable. Watch Trailer here

20. Ill Manors (2012)

IMDb: 7.1Rotten Tomatoes: 77%/71%Director: Ben DrewWriter: Ben DrewCast: Riz Ahmed, Ed Skrein, Keef Coggins, Andrew Okello, Lee AllenRuntime: 2 hours, 1 minute

Ill Manors is a British crime drama film written, directed, and co-scored by Ben Drew, A.K.A. musician Plan B. The movie revolves around eight main characters and features six original songs by Plan-B, which work as a narration for the story. The multi-character tale takes place over seven days, peeking into each character’s life as they fight for respect. Each character’s story is narrated in the songs written by Plan-B, and the film mainly focuses on the violence in the streets surrounding these leads. The movie was well appreciated by audiences and critics alike for the story and amazing songs. 
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21. Adulthood (2008)

IMDb: 6.6Rotten Tomatoes: NA/71%Director: Noel ClarkeWriter: Noel ClarkeCast: Noel Clarke, Scarlett Alice Johnson, Adam Deacon, Jacob Anderson, Femi OyeniranRuntime: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Adulthood is a 2008 British drama film continuing the story of Kidulthood from 2006. Writer-director Noel Clarke returns to the protagonist’s role, Sam Peel. The story picks up after Sam comes back from prison after six years. He has significantly changed as a person after the incident. The movie further explores Sam seeking everyone who might hurt him or his family. On his way, he learns how other characters’ lives have been in the last few years. The movie received moderately good reviews from audiences and performed well at the box office. Another sequel, titled Brotherhood, was released in 2016. 
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22. 8 Mile (2002)

IMDb: 7.1Rotten Tomatoes: 75%/54%Director: Curtis HansonWriter: Scott SilverCast: Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger, Eugene ByrdRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutes

8 Mile is a 2002 American drama film starring Eminem in his acting debut. The film is loosely based on the life of Eminem rising as the rap god from the rags. Eminem plays the role of rapper Jimmy Smith Jr., A.K.A. B-Rabbit. He finds it difficult to launch his career in hip-hop, a music style dominated by African-Americans. The movie’s title is taken from the 8 Mile Road, the highway between the African-American city of Detroit and the white suburban communities where Eminem grew up. The movie was a huge commercial and critical success. It also won several awards, including Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. So, if you love the Hip Hop music style, 8 Mile is a must-watch.
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23. Poetic Justice (1993)

IMDb: 6.0Rotten Tomatoes: 34%/83%Director: John SingletonWriter: John SingletonCast: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Tyra Ferrell, Regina King, Joe TorryRuntime: 1 hour, 49 minutes

Poetic Justice is a 1993 American romantic drama film having a multi-talented cast. It follows the life of Justice, an African-American poet who is mourning the loss of her boyfriend lost to gun violence. She goes on a road trip from South Central L.A. to Oakland on a mail truck with her friend and a postal worker. She initially despises them but soon finds a soft spot when they help with her depression. After the success of Boyz N The Hood, director John Singleton wanted to give a voice to American-African women, which brought up the idea for this movie. 
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24. Jason’s Lyric (1994)

IMDb: 6.6Rotten Tomatoes: 58%/91%Director: Doug McHenryWriter: Bobby Smith Jr.Cast: Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett, Bokeem Woodbine, Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss, Eddie GriffinRuntime: 2 hours

If you are a fan of romantic dramas, you will love Jason’s Lyric. This 1994 American erotic romantic psychological drama movie will tingle your senses with some tremendous romantic and passionate clips. The movie follows two brothers with a traumatic childhood and their different approach to dealing with the trauma. The older brother finds love in his girlfriend, and the younger one chooses a harsh criminal life to cope. Now the older brother must choose between saving a brother who doesn’t want to be saved or continuing his life with his girlfriend. Jason’s Lyric is mainly a romantic story with family responsibility as a sub-plot. Watch Trailer here

25. Training Day (2001)

IMDb: 7.7Rotten Tomatoes: 73%/89%Director: Antoine FuquaWriter: David AyerCast: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Cliff Curtis, Dr. DreRuntime: 2 hours, 2 minutes

Training Day is a 2001 American crime thriller film and follows the life of two LAPD narcotics officers over a 24-hour period. Denzel Washington plays a rogue detective who is much more than what appears. Meanwhile, Ethan Hawke is a rookie on his first day trying to understand working on the streets. The movie was a commercial and critical success collecting $104 million worldwide against a production budget of $45 million. The lead actors also won several awards for their performance, including the Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.
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26. One Eight Seven (1997)

IMDb: 6.6Rotten Tomatoes: 30%/67%Director: Kevin ReynoldsWriter: Scott YagemannCast: Samuel L. Jackson, John Heard, Kelly Rowan, Clifton Gonzalez GonzalezRuntime: 2 hours

One Eight Seven is a 1997 American crime thriller movie starring Samuel L. Jackson in his first lead role. The movie revolves around a Los Angeles teacher who gets caught in gang trouble in an urban high school. The movie’s title is taken from the California Penal Code Section 187, a murder charge. 90% of the movie’s script is inspired by actual events that happened during writer Scott Yagemann’s time as a teacher in Los Angeles. Critics praised Jackson’s performance in this movie, and it gained him several lead roles in the coming movies. 
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27. Bullet Boy (2004)

IMDb: 6.4Rotten Tomatoes: NA/73%Director: Saul DibbWriter: Saul Dibb, Catherine JohnsonCast: Ashley Walters, Luke FraserRuntime: 1 hour, 29 minutes

Bullet Boy is a 2004 British crime drama film revolving around two brothers. The older one, Ricky, is recently released from jail and returns to his 12-year-old brother. The recurrent crime and guns in the neighborhood test the brothers’ loyalty, friendship, and family reliability. The movie effortlessly shows how a minor incident can lead to major violence in crime-ridden areas. Bullet Boy performed moderately well at the box office and had mixed reviews at the time of release. 
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28. In Too Deep (1999)

IMDb: 6.2Rotten Tomatoes: 39%/75%Director: Michael RymerWriter: Michael Henry Brown, Paul AaronCast: Omar Epps, LL Cool J, Nia Long, Stanley Tucci, Hill HarperRuntime: 1 hour, 46 minutes

In Too Deep is a 1999 American crime thriller film revolving around a freshly appointed cop named Jeff Cole. His career starts as an undercover cop with small cases. However, he soon wins himself a prominent case after proving his worth and befriending a violent crime boss named Dwayne Gittens. He has an image of being a family man and helping those in need. Meanwhile, he secretly runs a state-wide drug empire. Cole has an ultimate test of loyalty when enough evidence is collected to catch Gittens, but his friendship is stronger than ever with the crime boss. The movie did moderately well at the box office and had mixed reviews from the critics. 
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29. Belly (1998)

IMDb: 6.1Rotten Tomatoes: 16%/87%Director: Hype WilliamsWriter: Hype WilliamsCast: Nas, D.M.X., Taral Hicks, T-Boz, Method ManRuntime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Belly is a 1998 American crime drama movie and directorial debut of music video director Hype Williams. The film stars rappers Nas and D.M.X., making it their first role as an actor in a movie. Both the characters play two friends who perform drug deals and armed robberies to make a living. As the friends grow in their life, they discover they have different paths for them. One wants to return to his motherland while the other finds peace in another religion. The movie wasn’t much appreciated by the critics but was praised for its highly-stylized “noir-like” visual design. As a movie, it might not be the best one. Still, there is enormous talent in every scene and every music score in this movie, making it worthy of the list. Watch Trailer here

30. Straight Outta Compton (2015)

IMDb: 7.8Rotten Tomatoes: 89%/91%Director: F. Gary GrayWriter: Jonathan Herman, Andrea BerloffCast: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.Runtime: 2 hours, 27 minutes

Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 American biographical musical film about the rise and fall of the gangsta rap group N.W.A. The movie shows the struggle of the band to perform their art when the federal system was opposing them with all their strength. Apart from revolutionizing Hip Hop music, the band was also part of some brutal treatment. The movie shows the hardships of the gang members growing up in the hood. John Singleton, the director of Boyz N The Hood, was also considered before finalizing Gray for the job. The movie was a huge success critically and commercially as well. 
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Watching Great Movies Like Boyz N The Hood

Boyz N the Hood is one of the most popular hood drama movies. The film gained a cult following, inspiring viewers to watch more such movies. I listed some of the best movies of all time relating to Boyz N The Hood in this list. It has everything from friendship, crime, romance, and inspiring character arcs. I hope you found the mentioned movies worth watching and updated your watchlist. If you have any movie suggestions I can add here, feel free to comment below.