John Singleton

John Singleton

John Singleton, 'Boyz n the Hood' director, is dead at 51. John Singleton, a versatile director who made a splash with "Boyz n the Hood" and went on to a variety of projects -- including "2 Fast 2 Furious" -- has died after suffering a stroke. He was 51.

The director, who had been in a coma since suffering the stroke on April 17, died Monday, his family told CNN in a statement.

In 1992, at the age of 24, Singleton became the youngest person to ever receive an Oscar nomination for best director, for "Boyz in the Hood," a film based on his experiences growing up in South Central Los Angeles. He also was the first African-American to be nominated in that category. Ref. CNN.