H.Getachew
Kitwana stated “contemporary discussion of race in America, locked in a 1960’s-style civil rights time warp, has failed to consider how young Blacks are affected by unique social forces that have created problems different from those of our parent’s generation” (122). Kitwana means that blacks have more opportunity to voices their ideas in many art forms than their parents in the 1960’s. These art forms such as rap music and black films try to portray young Blacks living in America, but their depiction of young Blacks itself creates what it means to be black. The music and the films industries only concern is making money, thus neglecting the negative influence they have on black community. The industries are trying to attract young consumers by “portraying outlandish violence and in the process constructed a young Black thug genre, almost Black parodies of white gangster flicks. (Kitwana, 127) The Boyz in the Hood also deals with violence in urban American where young Blacks have limited options and opportunity to get out of the hood. Young blacks have few positive role models in the media to look up to. The main character Tre had strong positive father who guided him, but others in the same situation who don’t have stable parents to turn to, popular black films and music would play important role. I think Boyz in the Hood is a positive black film that tells a story of hope and personal responsibility in the mix of violence and poverty in urban America.