MICHAEL (O'DELL) IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEENAGER IN SOUTH CENTRAL, LOS ANGELES BEING RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER AND BEGINNING TO DRIFT AWAY FROM SCHOOL. BEFORE LONG, MICHAEL IS RUNNING WITH A TOUGH LOCAL STREET GANG, THE KINGSMEN, WHO CHRISTEN HIM WITH THE NICKNAME "YOUNGBLOOD". MICHAEL GREATLY LOOKS UP TO THE GANG'S LEADER, ROMMEL (LAWRENCE HILTON-JACOBS, COOLEY HIGH), AN ANGRY VIET NAM VETERAN WHO IS BEGINNING TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HE'S GETTING TO BE TOO OLD TO BE INVOLVED IN THE STREET GANG LIFESTYLE.