Grove Street Families

## Description

The Grove Street Families is an African-American street gang and one of the oldest street gangs in Los Santos, San Andreas. They are also the native gang of protagonist Carl Johnson. They are the sworn enemy of the Ballas, an intense and ongoing rivalry as part of the Ballas-Grove Street War. The Families also maintain rivalries with the two Mexican gangs in Los Santos - the Los Santos Vagos and the Varrios Los Aztecas. Their rivalry with the Varrios Los Aztecas is not nearly as intense as it is with the Ballas and Vagos. However, both gangs will still commonly fight. Kendl (sister of Grove Street Leader Sweet) ends up dating a high-ranking member of the Aztecas while CJ befriends him - much to the disapproval of Sweet.

Most of their territory can be found in the poorer/run-down neighborhoods in the far east of the city, though they also have small pockets of territory elsewhere - including the rich area of Temple and the popular tourist destination of Santa Maria Beach. They are easily identifiable by their green gang color.

They are headed by Sean "Sweet" Johnson and Carl Johnson, as well as former lieutenants and OGs, Lance "Ryder" Wilson and Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris.

As far as street gangs in *GTA San Andreas* go, the GSF are depicted as more honorable than their rival gangs. Coming from a background of older traditions, they are against hard drugs being sold on their turf as opposed to the Ballas and Vagos. They are very stubborn and Sweet refuses to adapt to changes in the Los Santos criminal underworld. They *are* well known, however, for committing numerous other crimes and violent acts including gun running/arms-trafficking, gang-banging, gang warfare, murder, robbery, burglary/theft, gang-related homicide, vandalism, and street violence.

## History

The Grove Street Families were formed in Ganton (initially in Grove Street) before spreading to the rest of Ganton and other neighborhoods. History before this time period (late 80s) is unknown, and much of what happened to the Families during the late 80s is also unknown. However, what is known is that the Families are one of the oldest gangs in Los Santos - this possibly means that they are older than the Ballas (who formed during the 1970s) - giving the possibility that the Families evolved from the 1960s, or possibly even earlier.

The Families also have a history of a traditional, intense, and bloody rivalry with the Ballas. Specifically when the gang war started is unknown, but the rivalry between the two gangs was in full swing as early as 1987. The start and reason of their rivalry with the Los Santos Mexican gangs is unknown, though their rivalry with the Vagos has most likely developed due to their expansion and growth around their territory along with their heavy crack-cocaine influence. Despite being divided into different sets, the Families were much more united before the early 1990s.

While Sweet is adamantly anti-narcotic, Smoke believes that the GSF have fallen from power because of his refusal to sell drugs. Their unwillingness to enter the drug trade has dragged the Grove Street Families out of prominence in the years leading up to the game's storyline. The fact that Sweet insists the gang shouldn't deal in narcotics, the deaths of OGs such as Tony, Big Devil, and Little Devil, and the abandonment of OGs such as Big Bear and B Dup has largely weakened them from their previous dominant position in Los Santos. Likewise, the splitting of the Grove Families into different enemy sets - the Temple Drive Families and the Seville Boulevard Families has massively increased violence from within the families and further weakened them. The fact that the Ballas are extremely successful at spreading crack cocaine into their territory to weaken the Families (also in-part due to Big Smoke's involvement) has led to the sorry state of the GSF upon CJ's return from Liberty City in 1992.

Prior to 1992, the Families also controlled the southern portion of East Los Santos and Idlewood (although they lost Idlewood before 1987, as during the mission Cleaning the Hood, Carl seems to know it is Ballas turf). They likely also controlled Willowfield due to Emmet's presence there; specifically the Seville Boulevard Families.

### Events of *GTA San Andreas*

During the beginning of the game, and upon Carl Johnson's return from Liberty City, the Grove Street Families are the smallest, least powerful, and least influential gang in Los Santos. A variety of problems has led to their demise - including the deaths of many high-ranking members/OGs (Little Devil, Big Devil, Tony) along with the death of Sweet's (leader of the Grove Street Families) family members (Brian Johnson and Beverly Johnson). On top of this, the Grove Street Families have split up into different warring sets (Temple Drive Families and the Seville Boulevard Families) - causing inter-hostilities.

Further, their refusal to enter the drugs trade (especially crack cocaine) has put them at a severe disadvantage to the other gangs (such as the Ballas), who are able to make much profit from this. The GSF also face the major problem of crack-cocaine spread throughout their territory (largely due to the Ballas and Big Smoke). Crack-cocaine turns members into weak and hopeless addicts and influences high-ranking members with the money that can be made from the drugs trade (as is the case with B-Dup); thus, drawing them away from gang-banging.

The Ballas attempt to finish off the remaining OGs in a drive-by shooting as they are leaving the funeral of Beverly Johnson. However, they are only successful at destroying Big Smoke's car. The remaining OGs escape to Grove Street on bicycle while avoiding the Ballas car.

The Grove Street Families then attempt to decrease the influence of crack-cocaine in their territory by killing some Ballas members at a crack house in Idlewood. Sweet orders CJ and Ryder for the mission, and they successfully kill the Ballas inside the house. This gradually decreases the influence of crack-cocaine in GSF territory, and drug dealers become less prevalent on the streets in Ganton.

In retaliation for the events of the previous mission, the Kilo Tray Ballas attempt a drive-by on Grove Street. Luckily, Sweet, CJ, Ryder, and Big Smoke are able to catch them on the way to Grove Street while pulling out of a Cluckin' Bell drive-thru in Willowfield. A car chase follows, and the OGs are able to destroy the car and kill the Ballas.

The Grove Street Families then gain a substantial victory of the Ballas when CJ, Ryder, Sweet, and Big Smoke went into the Ballas' territories and killed more than a dozen of the Rollin' Heights Ballas and the Kilo Tray Ballas in a drive-by shooting.

Sweet then goes to his girlfriend's house in Playa del Seville, but unfortunately, he is caught by the Seville Boulevard Families (an enemy Grove set). CJ then killed every Seville Boulevard Families member who was attacking Sweet. Sweet states that there needs to be an end to "green-on-green" violence if the GSF are ever able to become strong again.

CJ and Ryder stole various weaponry and ammunition in Los Santos in the missions Home Invasion, Catalyst, and Robbing Uncle Sam. In doing so, the Grove Street Families become better equipped and start carrying Tec-9 submachine guns.

Sweet then gets word that a former member of the Grove Street Families (now a Balla) called Little Weasel has been selling drugs, and is now in-hiding with the Ballas at Glen Park. Sweet orders CJ to kill him. CJ then kills Little Weasel and many other Ballas at Glen Park during a gang war. Following the gang war, the Grove Street Families gain the territory of Glen Park from the Ballas. At this point, the GSF are now much stronger and are on a more equal footing with the Ballas.

The Ballas, in retaliation for the Glen Park gang war; attempt to start their own gang war right on Grove Street. Luckily, a member of the Families is able to catch the Ballas on the way and warn Sweet and the OGs, who are then able to prepare. They block off Grove Street and prepare themselves. CJ, Sweet, and other members of the GSF are then able to successfully defend their territory.

The Ballas then hold a funeral for Little Weasel (who CJ previously killed). Many Ballas OGs are attending the funeral (including Kane of the Front Yard Ballas). CJ, Sweet, and members of the GSF are able to crash the funeral and kill many high-ranking Ballas members (including Kane).

In an attempt to fully bring the Grove Street Families back to their full power, a meeting is organized between the three different Family sets (Ganton, Playa de Seville, and Temple) at the Jefferson Motel. Sweet, CJ, Big Smoke, and Ryder attend the meeting, and Sweet is voted the representative for the Grove Street Families. However, the LSPD and S.W.A.T. raids and breaks-up the meeting, and a battle ensues inside the motel between Families gang members and S.W.A.T. officers. Luckily, CJ managed to rescue Sweet, and they are able to escape with the help of Big Smoke and Ryder.

In an attempt to fully finish the Ballas, a large gang war is organized between the Ballas and the Families under the Mulholland Intersection. However, Sweet is shot and injured, and the police manage to break up the gang war. Sweet is then arrested and sent to a prison hospital upstate, while CJ is captured by C.R.A.S.H. and warned to stay away from Big Smoke. At this point, both Ryder and Big Smoke have completely defected from the Grove Street Families and into the crack-cocaine business, aligning themselves with C.R.A.S.H. and the Ballas, as well as handing over the green Sabre involved in the murder of Carl's mother to C.R.A.S.H. officers.

This leaves the GSF with no leaders or OGs. They soon fall from power again and become subservient to the Ballas and Vagos. Remaining GSF members are either dead, imprisoned, addicted to drugs, go into hiding, left the gang, defect to the Ballas, or become employed by Big Smoke and his drug organization (as seen in the drug courier missions). The Ballas resume spreading crack-cocaine through their territory again to control them. Soon enough, the Ballas manage to control the entirety of what had been GSF territory - including Ganton and Grove Street, Playa del Seville, Temple, the Vinewood Cemetery, and Santa Maria Beach. They also recapture back Glen Park. The Families and their allies, the Varrios Los Aztecas (who begin to suffer the same fate), essentially become nearly defunct and inactive and the Ballas and Vagos control the streets of Los Santos. Carl is forced to continue working for C.R.A.S.H. away from the city in exile.

The Grove Street Families then have no more significance throughout the rest of the middle-game, apart for some who work with Big Smoke and Ryder while CJ becomes enveloped in a new lifestyle away from gang-banging and "hood life" while Sweet is incarcerated.

However, Sweet's release from prison, courtesy of Mike Toreno, and CJ's second return to Los Santos with Sweet allows the gang to rise and reform again (now co-headed by Carl and Sweet Johnson) and regain most of their lost turf from the Ballas while destroying the crack-cocaine influence again during the missions Home Coming, Beat Down on B-Dup, and Grove 4 Life. That same year, Big Smoke's Crack Palace is destroyed by Frank Tenpenny by shooting a generator during the final mission - greatly diminishing the crack-cocaine trade in Los Santos and further strengthening the position of the Families.

Depending on the player's actions, it is possible to take some or all of the Ballas' and Vagos' turf for the GSF as part of the gang-war mini-game, causing the GSF to potentially become the largest and most powerful gang in Los Santos with no major threats anymore. If the player successfully takes over the entire turf in Los Santos, then their turfs will no longer come under attack.