Madd Dogg

"I oughta smack the dog shit out your ass!"

- Madd Dogg to OG Loc

Madd Dogg is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He is also mentioned several times throughout Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V.

Description
Madd Dogg is a rich and famous gangsta rapper from Los Santos. He was romantically involved with female rapper and R&B musician, Rochell'le.

History
Madd Dogg was born and raised in Idlewood and grew up in the crime-ridden Crystal Gardens housing project. Madd Dogg started rapping at a young age and got his big break when he performed at the Los Santos Forum in 1988. Jimmy Silverman witnessed the performance and signed Madd Dogg to Blastin' Fools Records. Alan Crawford, Madd Dogg's childhood friend became his manager and they both began working on his debut album.

Breakthrough (1989-1991)
Forgotten Legends explains that Madd Dogg first gained extreme popularity as a rapper, without any full albums, in the late 1980's. He quickly earned enough money to buy his trademark mansion, pictured on his first two albums.

In 1990, he released his debut album Hustlin' Like Gangstaz (parody of Above The Law's Livin Like Hustlers, produced by Dr. Dre and featured on Radio Los Santos) and Still Madd (parody of Ice-T's OG: Original Gangster, complete with a song "2:30 in the Afternoon" to parody "6 in the Morning").

During 1990, he also began a relationship with Rochell'le, a bubbly, innocent female singer and label-mate on Jimmy Silverman's Blastin' Fools Records. A rumor exists that he was her ghostwriter for some of the more rap-oriented songs she released.

Mainstream Status and Downfall (1991-1992)
In 1991, he released 24 Carat Dogg. The name might suggest that he had moved on from violent music to more radio-friendly songs in which he bragged about his lifestyle, like many rappers, but in 1992 it seems that he still has plenty of street credibility. In 1991 he also had a hit song called 'A Dogg's Bitch' which was a duet with his girlfriend Rochell'le. It appeared on her album Leg$.

At the beginning of GTA: SA, Madd Dogg was very popular and exploring merchandise such as a clothing label Madd Tagg - later in the game, the player can buy one of the shirts for $30 at Victim. Russell Simmons was the first person in hip-hop to have his own clothing line in 1992, called Phat Farm.

Madd Dogg began to sink into a depression after his rhyme book went missing and his manager was killed (all secret efforts by CJ - ironically, his future manager - to jump-start rival OG Loc's music career). Outside of these attacks, he also struggled with "alcoholism and egomania" (as told by Lianne Forget), drug abuse, massive financial debt, as well as breakups with Rochell'le and his rap group "Doggy Boyz."

Comeback and Retirement (1992-1994)
Later that year, he was forced to give his mansion to a Vagos drug lord, and was supposed to give a concert in Las Venturas before he went missing. When Carl Johnson discovers him, he had a room at the Royale Casino, and after he had gotten drunk and gambled away his fortune, threatens suicide before CJ saved him and sent him to rehab. Madd Dogg then hires CJ as his new manager, unaware that CJ ruined his career in the first place and rescued him out of guilt.

As his manager, CJ begins by taking back his mansion and directing Madd Dogg to record a new album. He also takes back the original rhyme book from OG Loc. At the end of the game, possibly in early 1993, Forty Dogg is released and quickly achieves gold record status.

Forty Dogg songs:
 * "Madd Funk"
 * "Me and My Blunt"
 * "4 My Doggz"
 * "Alone with My Dogz"
 * "Doggz Need Luv"
 * "Madd N A Haze"
 * "Funkin' Forties"

In 1994, he released "the less-than-stellar" N.L.A.D.B. (Never Leave a Dog Behind), which would become his last album and direct him to retire. Since his retirement, he has focused more on ghostwriting and producing for other artists. As of 1998 and 2003, his albums Still Madd and Forty Dogg were digitally remastered.

Legacy
In Grand Theft Auto V, Franklin Clinton has a Madd Dogg poster (in the style of Shepard Fairey's famous "Hope" poster of Barack Obama) hanging next to the wardrobe at his aunt's house; later, he has the poster framed and moved into his Vinewood Hills home.

In August 2013, he released his long awaited sixth album, titled Tha Maddhouse.

Madd Dogg is one of the honoured celebrities on the Vinewood Walk of Fame.


 * Discography
 * 1990: Hustlin' Like Gangstaz
 * 1990: Still Madd
 * 1991: 24 Carat Dogg
 * 1993: Forty Dogg
 * 1994: N.L.A.D.B. (Never Leave a Dog Behind)
 * 2013: Tha Maddhouse

Influence
The name Madd Dogg comes from the term "mad dog," which means "to stare someone down in response to an initial provocation or to start a fight with another". Madd Dogg's also name appears to be based on rapper Snoop Dogg, and his appearance appears to gain influence from his voice actor Ice-T, as well as rappers Dr. Dre and N.W.A. member Ice Cube.

Madd Dogg's "Forty Dogg" album resembles that of Tha Dogg Pound's real life album Dogg Food. Their song "What Would U Do?" is featured on West Coast Classics.

His mansion may have been inspired by MC Hammer's large former mansion in Northern California called 'Hammertime'. It also has very similar decor to a mansion Ice-T displayed on MTV Cribs.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

 * Madd Dogg
 * A Home In The Hills (Boss)
 * Vertical Bird
 * Cut Throat Business (Boss)
 * Riot
 * End of the Line

Trivia

 * In real life, there is a similar name called "Mad Dog" in the movie The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2: Berandal. Directed by Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans. Mad Dog is performed by Yayan Ruhian. This movie is shown in Indonesia and United States.

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