Introduction Black masculinity in Boyz N the Hood is articulated through the use of idealized images that help to protect an adaptive sense of African-American identity in the framework of certain cultural norms and a class position. Black masculinity in the movie is reinforced through the harsh depiction of social realities in which it has been modified and adopted. Racially and ethnically homogenous culture of African-American neighbourhoods serves as a backdrop for the socially constructed notion of black male identity. Boyz N the Hood is a debut of a black film director, screenwriter, and producer John Singleton. Interestingly enough, even though he is widely recognized for directing the movie and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, he has yet to win the Oscar (Bradshaw 2016). Even a quarter of a century after the movie was shot it is still perceived as “a study of what amounts to life during wartime, with people grimly used to gunfire and helicopters thudding overhead” (Bradshaw 2016, para. 1). The aim of this paper is to explore the articulation of black masculinity in Boyz N the Hood. It will also examine sociopsychological factors contributing to the formation of the modern hyper-masculine image of African Americans. Plot The movie follows the life of Tre Styles who lives with his divorced single mother in South Central Los Angeles. The mother of the boy, Reva, is well-educated and steadfastly devoted to raising him as a good man and an upright citizen. The powerful opening scene shows Tre starting a fight at school over a minor insult. When Reva talks with Tre’s teacher, she gets informed that even though the boy is extremely intelligent, he has problems with discipline and cannot control his volatile temper. The mother understands that exposure to troublesome peer behaviour could negatively influence her bright son and decides that it is best for him to spend some time with his father in the Crenshaw neighbourhood of South Los Angeles. The boy’s father, Furious Styles, is a mortgage broker who is fond of discipline. Even though he tries to teach Tre the rules of proper conduct, “out in the streets of South Central Los Angeles, the son learns other rules” (Ebert 1991, para. 2). The boy is friends with his half-brothers and other youth from the neighbourhood who try to steer clear of the violence and gangs on the streets. However, taking into consideration the fact that Los Angeles is inundated with weapons, there is always a danger of getting killed over a failed attempt to “prove manhood” ( Boyz N The Hood 1991). Tre’s father spends quality time with him trying to provide the son with valuable life lessons one of which is “don’t ever go in the Army, Tre—black man ain’t got no place in the Army” ( Boyz N The Hood 1991). Shortly after being provided with advice, Tre witnesses his friends, Doughboy and Chris, getting arrested for shoplifting. The movie then skips forward several years and shows a backyard picnic party celebrating their release from jail. Unlike his friends, one of which is incapacitated by a gunshot wound, Tre works at a local store and has high hopes of enrolling in college. He does not want to deal crack like Doughboy