Big Smoke
Big Smoke, real name Melvin Harris, is a senior member of the Grove Street Families in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) and one of CJ's oldest friends. Halfway through the story he is revealed to have betrayed the gang, working with Ryder, the Ballas and corrupt officer Frank Tenpenny. CJ kills him in the final mission. He is voiced by Clifton Powell.
Who is Big Smoke in GTA San Andreas?
Big Smoke is one of the central characters of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, released for the PlayStation 2 on 26 October 2004 in North America, according to Wikipedia. His real name is Melvin Harris, which the GTA Wiki notes comes from the game's manual and credits. He is a large, talkative and easy-going member of the Grove Street Families and is close to Sweet, the gang's leader.
When Carl "CJ" Johnson comes home to Los Santos in 1992 after five years in Liberty City, Smoke is among the old friends who help him back into gang life. That warmth makes his later turn hit harder.
Who voices Big Smoke?
Big Smoke is voiced by the American actor Clifton Powell. Wikipedia's San Andreas article lists him in the role, and the GTA Wiki points to the game's own credits file for the same name.
When does Big Smoke betray CJ?
The betrayal is revealed in the mission "The Green Sabre". CJ goes to an ambush with the rival Ballas and sees Smoke and Ryder meeting with the corrupt C.R.A.S.H. officers Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Pulaski. Wikipedia sums up that the two had been working with Tenpenny and the Ballas against their own gang.
The GTA Wiki adds that Smoke and Ryder were part of the drive-by that killed CJ's mother, Beverly Johnson. After the betrayal comes to light, CJ is forced out of Los Santos for a long stretch of the story in the countryside, San Fierro and Las Venturas.
Why did Big Smoke betray Grove Street?
The game's answer is money. Smoke uses his deal with Tenpenny to build his own business, and the GTA Wiki says he also made secret deals with the Los Santos Vagos and the Russian Mafia. In his final scene, Wikipedia notes, he admits that he became obsessed with money and power. By then he is running a drug operation from a fortified building in East Los Santos, surrounded by guards and wearing body armour.
How does Big Smoke die?
Smoke is the last major target of the story. In the final mission, "End of the Line", CJ storms Smoke's base in East Los Santos. The two face each other in a gunfight and CJ wins. Smoke is fatally wounded and dies after a short conversation in which he admits what he did.
Tenpenny then turns up, holds CJ at gunpoint and takes Smoke's money before escaping, which leads into the game's closing chase. Read the full story on our Carl Johnson page.
| Key mission | What happens |
|---|---|
| "Drive-Thru" | Smoke places a famously long fast-food order before a Ballas attack |
| "The Green Sabre" | Smoke and Ryder are seen with Tenpenny and the Ballas |
| "End of the Line" | CJ defeats Smoke at his base in East Los Santos |
Why is Big Smoke so well remembered?
Smoke has become one of the best-known characters in the series. Much of that comes from "Drive-Thru", an early mission in which he orders a huge meal at a Cluckin' Bell and refuses to join a fight with the Ballas until he has finished eating. The GTA Wiki notes that the order is still widely quoted by players. The contrast between that friendly, funny figure and the cold businessman of the final mission is a big part of why his betrayal still lands.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas read 29 Oct 2026
- GTA Wiki (gta.wiki) — Big Smoke read 29 Oct 2026