Grove Street Families

Overview

The Grove Street Families are the African-American street gang at the heart of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Based on Grove Street in Ganton, Los Santos, they are Carl Johnson's gang and the one the player rebuilds through the Los Santos chapter. Members wear green and drive green cars such as the Greenwood.

History

The Families were once one of the strongest gangs in Los Santos. By 1992 they have collapsed into rival sets, with Seville Boulevard and Temple Drive breaking away from Grove Street, and crack supplied by the Ballas has hooked many former soldiers. When CJ returns after his mother's death, Sweet is trying to keep the Grove Street set clean and push back.

Territory

At the start of the game the Grove Street set holds little more than a few blocks of Ganton. Through gang wars CJ can retake large parts of South Central Los Santos, including Ganton, Idlewood, Jefferson, Glen Park and East Los Santos, which earns money and respect.

Leadership and members

Sweet Johnson leads the gang, with CJ as his right-hand man. Big Smoke and Ryder are senior members until their betrayal. OG Loc, Big Bear and many street soldiers round out the crew, and Denise Robinson is a neighbourhood supporter.

Role in the story

The early missions follow the gang's revival: tagging turf, clearing crack dealers, buying guns and taking on the Ballas. The plan to reunite the Families ends with a police ambush at the Jefferson Motel, and The Green Sabre reveals that Smoke and Ryder have sold out to the Ballas and C.R.A.S.H. After CJ's exile, the gang falls apart and Grove Street is overrun. In the final arc CJ and Sweet retake the neighbourhood in Grove 4 Life and finish Big Smoke and Tenpenny in End of the Line.

Relations with other gangs

The Ballas are their sworn enemies, and the Los Santos Vagos are also hostile. The Varrios Los Aztecas become allies through Cesar Vialpando. The Seville Boulevard and Temple Drive Families are estranged sets that Sweet tries to bring back into the fold.