"[to Joe] Well, does it take more guts to twice traverse a staircase in a burning building, or to make a one-time leap into the mouth of a smoking volcano? Damned if I know, Kimosabe. All I know is when you're making those kind of calls, you're up in the high country."

"[On the phone] I know he can get the job. But can he do the job? Harry. Yeah, Harry. But can he do the job? I know he can get the job. But can he do the job? I'm not arguing that with you. I'm not arguing that with you. I'm not arguing that with you. I'm not arguing that with you' Harry! Harry, Harry. Yeah, Harry, but can he do the job? I know he can get the job. But can he do the job? I'm not arguing that with you. Harry, I am not arguing that with you! Who said that? I didn't say that. If I said that, I would have been wrong. Maybe. Maybe. I'm not arguing that with you! Yeah, Harry, I know he can get the job. But can he do the job? I'm not arguing that with you! I am not arguing that with you! I am not arguing that with you! Who told you that? No! I told you that! Me! What? Maybe. Maybe, maybe. Maybe!"

"Clifton Powell - Chauncy"

"Glenn Plummer - James "Pernell" Richards"

"MC Eiht - A-Wax"

"Samuel L. Jackson - Tat Lawson"

"Larenz Tate - Kevin (O-Dog) Anderson"

"Jada Pinkett - Ronnie"

"Tyrin Turner - Kaydee (Caine) Lawson"

"This is the truth. This is what's real."

"Do you care whether you live or die?"

"You don't have any belief, boy. The Lord don't care about who's got the biggest house"

"Now what I want to talk to you two about is the trouble that you've been getting into. Boys, the Lord didn't put you here to be shooting and killing each other. It's right there in the Bible, Exodus 20:13: '"Thou shall not kill.'"

"You need to be glad that you graduated from high school, and that you're alive at eighteen, and you need to do something with yourself before you end up like he (Pernell) did."

"[as he dies in the street] After stomping on Ilena's cousin like that, I knew I was gonna have to deal with that fool someday, but damn. I never thought he'd come back like this—blasting. Like I said, it was funny like that in the hood sometimes. I mean, you never knew what was gonna happen or when. I'd done too much to turn back, and I'd done too much to go on. I guess in the end, it all catches up with you. My grandpa asked me one time if I care whether I live or die. Yeah, I do—and now it's too late."

"I thought killing those fools would make me feel good, but it really didn't make me feel anything. I just knew that I could kill somebody, and if I had to, I could do it again."

"My father sold dope and my mother was a heroin addict. Moms and Pops were real popular in the neighborhood. They would always be giving parties for friends of theirs who just got out of jail or was on their way to jail. They only got married 'cause I was born. My pop sometimes worked as an electrician or a cab driver or a plumber, but his main job was selling drugs. Sometimes Mom would use 'em all up before he could even sell 'em. Then he'd have to beat her up. Growing up with parents like that, I heard a lot and I saw a lot. I caught on to the criminal life real quick. Instead of keeping me out of trouble, they turned me on to it."

"For all the bullshit they try to teach you in high school, I graduated with about half of it. But then, I didn't go to school but half the time. The other half, I was out selling dope. Growing up out here, there was shit that couldn't be learned in no classroom."

"Went into the store just to get a beer. Came out an accessory to murder and armed robbery. It's funny like that in the hood sometimes. You never knew what was gonna happen, or when. After that I knew it was gonna be a long summer."

"Now O-Dog was the craziest nigga alive. America's nightmare: Young, black, and didn't give a fuck."

"Clifton Collins, Jr. - Vato #2"

"Samuel Monroe Jr. - Ilena's Cousin"

"Erin Leshawn Wiley - Ilena"

"Cynthia Calhoun - Jackee"

"Saafir - Harold Lawson"

"Brandon Hammond - Five Year Old Caine"

"Garen Holoman - Junior"

"Martin Davis - Carjacking Victim"

"Charles S. Dutton - Mr. Butler"

"Dwayne L. Barnes - Basehead"

"Bill Duke - Detective"

"Ryan Williams - Stacy"

"Vonte Sweet - Sharif Butler"

"Khandi Alexander - Karen Lawson"

"Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins - Tyrone"