Baby Boy (soundtrack)

Baby Boy
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Singleton
Produced by	John Singleton
Written by	John Singleton
Starring	Tyrese Gibson Omar Gooding Taraji P. Henson A.J. Johnson Snoop Dogg Ving Rhames
Music by	David Arnold
Cinematography	Charles Mills
Edited by	Bruce Cannon
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	June 29, 2001 (2001-06-29)
Running time	131 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$16 million
Box office	$29,381,649

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Baby Boy is a 2001 American coming-of-age hood film written, produced, and directed by John Singleton. The film follows bicycle mechanic Joseph "Jody" Summers as he lives and learns in his everyday life in the hood of Los Angeles. It represented the film debut of actress Taraji P. Henson and R&B singer Tyrese Gibson. Gibson and Henson later starred in the film Four Brothers. The film, originally set to star Tupac Shakur, instead switched to Gibson after Shakur's 1996 death.

A 20-year-old man named Joseph "Jody" Summers (Tyrese Gibson) lives with his 36-year-old mother Juanita (Adrienne-Joi Johnson), in South Central Los Angeles. He spends most of his time with his unemployed best friend Sweetpea (Omar Gooding), and does not seem interested in becoming a responsible adult. However, he is forced to mature as a result of an ex-con named Melvin (Ving Rhames), who moves into their home. Another factor is his children—a son Joseph "JoJo" Summers Jr. with his girlfriend of five years, Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and a daughter named "Sweetness" with another girl that he cheated on Yvette named Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass) who also lives with her mother.

At the beginning of the movie, Jody visits Yvette at the clinic to find out that she is pregnant. Yvette constantly asks Jody if he will ever come live with her and their son so they could be like a family, but Jody avoids the subject and comes and goes as he pleases. Jody also continues seeing and having sex with other women, including Peanut. Jody also nearly has sex with 23-year-old Pandora (Tawny Dahl), Yvette's colleague and co-worker, but manages to rebuff her advances. This becomes an issue between him and Yvette as well, especially since Yvette and Peanut do not get along and Yvette is not getting along with Pandora. When she discovers his cheating, they get in a heated argument which results in Yvette punching Jody in the face and Jody slapping Yvette in the face. After this, Yvette changes the locks on the door. This infuriates Jody and they get into an argument, which JoJo witnesses. Eventually, Yvette's gangster ex-boyfriend Rodney (Snoop Dogg) is released from San Quentin State Prison and returns to the neighborhood to move in with Yvette, much to her dismay. Rodney doesn't care for Yvette and JoJo and wants to impregnate Yvette himself. Rodney attempts to rape Yvette in front of her son, but reconsiders after being guilted by Yvette and JoJo. Despite their previous differences, Yvette begins to realize she is still in love with Jody. For the next couple of days, Yvette lives in fear and disgust of Rodney being there. Juanita finds marijuana in her garden and blames Jody for planting it. Jody becomes angry at his mom and blames Melvin for the marijuana. Melvin comes home and admits to Juanita that he planted it. Jody and Melvin get into a heated argument, which results in Melvin punching him in the face and breaking the table. Jody leaves the house to see Sweetpea. After this, Yvette kicks Rodney and his friends out of her apartment. Eventually, after some more bickering, Yvette and Jody reconcile at Sweetpea's house, and Yvette tells Jody that Rodney attempted to rape her in front of JoJo. Rodney steals the money and keys from her wallet and takes off in her car to go and find Jody. Rodney tries to kill Jody in a drive-by shooting; however, he is unsuccessful. Later that night, Jody and Sweetpea confront Rodney, and as he attempts to escape, Jody shoots him in the back of the legs. Sweetpea urges Jody to kill Rodney, but he refuses, at which point Sweetpea shoots Rodney to death. Feeling guilty for Rodney's death, Jody prepares to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, but Melvin catches him and takes the gun. After reflecting on the death of Rodney and how he put Yvette and his son in danger by not being around consistently, Jody finally moves out of his mom's house and in with Yvette.