5 reasons why Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas is quite popular

Modified Apr 22, 2025 08:50 GMT

We look at five reasons why Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas is popular (Image via Rockstar Games)

Melvin Harris, also known as Big Smoke, is one of the most popular characters from GTA San Andreas, and even an icon in pop culture. He was eventually killed by the MC of the 2004 title. However, Big Smoke is still popular among Grand Theft Auto fans and fans of other video game franchises.

This article lists five reasons behind Big Smoke's persistent popularity among fans.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer’s opinions.

5 things that make Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas still popular

1) He is a part of several missions

Big Smoke has a long-standing presence in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (Image via Rockstar Games)

Big Smoke is a part of 15 different missions in GTA San Andreas, including the finale. He was the first person from the Grove Street Families that Carl “CJ” Johnson met after his arrival from Liberty City. This meeting triggers the Big Smoke mission, where we get our first introduction to the character.

Big Smoke also appears in the End of the Line final mission, where you have to kill him. Such a long-lasting impact on the gameplay has kept him popular..

2) The famous Cluckin' Bell order

Big Smoke makes a bizarre order at a Cluckin’ Bell outlet during the mission Drive-Thru. It includes a long list of junk food items that even baffles Carl “CJ” Johnson, Sean "Sweet" Johnson, and Ryder.

The outrageous order later became widely popular even outside the game, and many fans have tried to recreate it IRL as well. Such bizarre acts have kept Big Smoke's fame alive even now.

Also read: 5 reasons to try GTA San Andreas multiplayer (SA-MP) in 2025

3) His betrayal of the Grove Street Families

Big Smoke was originally a part of the Grove Street Families and an ally of Carl Johnson. However, he was influenced by money and secretly resided with the hood’s enemies. While there were several signs, Big Smoke’s betrayal was one of the things GTA San Andreas doesn’t tell you early.

It was only Cesar Vialpando who helped CJ uncover thr truth of Big Smoke and Ryder. This betrayal came as a shock, even more upsetting than Lance Vance betraying Tommy. The betrayal became a permanent spot in Big Smoke's character, eventually making him notorious.

4) He has become a meme

Both Carl Johnson and Big Smoke have become popular meme characters. You can find the latter in various unusual places, making the situation hilarious. Modders even ported his character to various other video game series. Even after two decades, fans have a craze for Big Smoke..

5) Big Smoke has several popular dialogs

Big Smoke’s dialogs are still popular among fans (Image via GTA Wiki, Rockstar Games)

Since Big Smoke has a long presence in GTA San Andreas, he has several popular dialogs throughout the storyline. Some of them are:

“You picked the wrong house, fool”
“I'll have two number 9s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip…”
“All we had to do, was follow the damn train, CJ!”
"I got caught up in the money, the power... I don't give a sh*t…”

These dialogs are still iconic, which clearly shows the character's popularity.

Also check out:

About the author

Mridul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies. His career as a journalist began at Sportskeeda, and he has been associated with the Esports & Gaming division for over 1.5 years. He has produced 1600+ articles on Grand Theft Auto, his favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Mridul writes detailed and well-researched articles, relying solely on official sources and reputable insiders for credible information. His immense love for the GTA series shines through in his work, which resonates with readers, with five of his articles having crossed the 100,000 reads mark each. Overall, his reads count stands at close to 8 million.

GTA: Vice City served as Mridul's introduction to Rockstar Games, and he has dedicatedly made his way through the publisher's catalog since then. If given a chance, he would love to drop into the world of Bully and relive his school days. However, he would like to recommend Grand Theft Auto 4 to beginners due to the depth of its narrative and in-game mechanics.

Know More

Edited by Ripunjay Gaba