After this film premiered nationally, there were instances where rival gang members ran into each other in theaters showing this film and engaged in shootouts.
At the beginning of the movie the voice of a little boy says, "They shot my brother". This is the voice of Kenneth A. Brown, who plays Little Chris as well in the younger years of Tre's life.
Ice Cube's second son (Darrel Jackson) uses the stage name Doughboy in real life as homage to his father's portrayal in the film. Cube's oldest son (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) goes by the stage name OMG.
When Furious and Trey are driving back from fishing, film trucks are visible. John Singleton later said that there was not time to move them before shooting the scene.