5 GTA San Andreas characters inspired by real people

GTA San Andreas is an all-time favorite and one of the most loved games in the GTA franchise. Even though the game came out in 2004, it is still loved and revisited by GTA fans and enthusiasts who love to dig up hidden details present throughout the game.

GTA San Andreas set the ball rolling for other Grand Theft Auto games as the game introduced certain gameplay components included in later titles.

San Andreas had some of the best-curated characters with a solid backstory and good choice of dialogues. The GTA franchise is known for taking reference from real-world elements in its games. In GTA San Andreas, some characters were apparently inspired by real people.

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Characters in GTA San Andreas based on real people

1) Carl Johnson

CJ was the main playable character in GTA San Andreas (Image via grandthreftwiki.com)

Carl Johnson, better known as CJ, is the playable lead of GTA San Andreas. However, the character was voiced and modeled after Young Maylay, the LA-based rapper. But a lot of fans believe that the character was inspired by someone else.

Many long-time GTA San Andreas players believe that CJ was inspired by Warren G, an American rapper and DJ. Some even believe that the story and personality of CJ were not inspired by just one rapper but a few others as well.

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2) Ryder

Ryder betrayed CJ in GTA San Andreas (Image via WikiGTA)

Ryder Wilson, commonly referred to as Ryder by GTA fans, appeared in GTA San Andreas as a high-ranking member of the Grove Street Families. The character was voiced by MC Eiht, who was a rapper and a vocalist of the rap group CMW.

Ryder's look is based on Eazy-E, a deceased rapper and vocalist of the rap group N.W.A. He was famous during the late eighties and early nineties.

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3) Madd Dogg

Madd Dogg was a rapper in GTA San Andreas (Image via GTA Wiki - Fandom)

Madd Dogg of GTA San Andreas is a rich and famous gangsta rapper from Los Santos. The character is voiced by Ice-T and is based on the former members of N.W.A. — Dr. Dre, Ice-T himself, and Ice Cube.

The name Dogg seems to have been acquired from either Snoop Dogg or Nate Dogg. Madd Dogg's story and personality in GTA San Andreas have also been inspired by Snoop Dogg to some extent.

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4) Sweet

Sweet was the leader of Grove Street Families (Image via GTA Wiki - Fandom)

Sean "Sweet" Johnson, aka Sweet, is the leader of the gang Grove Street Families. He is the older brother of CJ in GTA San Andreas and is voiced by Faizon Love.

Sweet's face resembles the face of the iconic American rapper and actor O'Shea Jackson, better known as Ice Cube.

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5) Big Smoke

Big Smoke was one of the members of the Grove Street Families (Image via GTA Wiki - Fandom)

Melvin Harris, better known by fans as Big Smoke, was a high-ranking member of the Grove Street Families who later abandoned and joined Ballas. Clifton Powell voiced him.

It is believed that Big Smoke's character in GTA San Andreas was inspired by Jamal Woolard, an American actor and rapper. Woolard is best known for portraying musician The Notorious B.I.G. in the film Notorious.