According to writer/producer/director John Singleton, when the 1992 Los Angeles riots occurred during filming, Tupac Shakur left the set to participate in the protest. He returned to the set in time for filming.
Tupac Shakur got into a heated verbal altercation with an extra and a group of men on the set. The extra, who was a member of the Rollin 20s Bloods gang, said that the 21-year-old Shakur flashed Crip gang signs at him before pulling out a 40 caliber pistol. However no other extras on set witnessed Shakur brandishing a gun but overheard the loud confrontation.The incident which took place in July 1992, had occurred outside an apartment building near Genesee Park. Tupac later stated that the confrontation was over him standing up for a female friend who was allegedly robbed by the Bloods. After Shakur made physical threats toward the extra, Maya Angelou pulled Shakur aside and calmed him down.
When Justice is driving in her car in the beginning, she passes Crenshaw square on Crenshaw Boulevard and you will see the damage to the shopping center from the Los Angeles riots, which occurred during filming.
The poetry that Justice writes was actually written by Maya Angelou. Angelou made a cameo appearance as Aunt June.
When Chicago (Joe Torry) hits Iesha (Regina King), she mentions two characters from Boyz n the Hood - Jungs im Viertel (1991) Dookie and Monster, who were often seen hanging around Doughboy.