Big Smoke

''This article is about the character. For the mission in GTA San Andreas, see Big Smoke (Mission)''

Melvin Harris (1965 - 1992), known as Big Smoke, was a senior member of the Grove Street Families.

Description
Early in the storyline of the game, there were several telltale signs of Big Smoke's disloyalty to the gang. The clues indicates that he moved out of Grove Street to live in a new home in Idlewood - Ballas territory - and there is suspicion that he paid for the house with drug money, despite his insistence that it was money from his aunt. In addition, Big Smoke has, on occasion, showed little interest in defending or aiding the gang, as seen in one mission when the rest of the gang was shooting at a Ballas car that had attacked them; Smoke was in the back seat of Sweet's car eating fast food. In another mission, he talks with Sweet about their differing stances on street drugs; he appears to be trying to convince Sweet that drug dealing (with the money and power that come along with it) would be good for the Families. Big Smoke would also been seen dragging himself into conflict with other non-native gangs, including the Russian Mafia and the San Fierro Rifa. Furthermore, Frank Tenpenny and his clique show up at Big Smoke's house during the beginning of several missions, suggesting familiarity, although Big Smoke claims each time that they are attempting to extract information from him.

His true nature was revealed when he turned his back from the gang, having been seen along with Ryder collaborating with the Ballas and C.R.A.S.H., and appeared to be linked, along with Ryder, to the killing of Carl's mother (the actual target originally being Sweet). With the prospect of power, money and fame in the drug business too great for Big Smoke to resist as he goes on to establish a drug cartel with the Loco Syndicate in San Fierro with the help of the Ballas, transporting the merchandise and money between Los Santos and San Fierro, as well as running several drug manufacturing factories in both San Fierro and Los Santos (the former destroyed by Carl during his stay in San Fierro). It is also revealed during certain WCTR news broadcasts that he becomes OG Loc's manager and that he tries to be a "philanthropic" man by helping the defavorized streets and cleaning them from drugs, which is an obvious bald-faced lie.

In the final mission of the game, Carl enters Big Smoke's Crack Fortress (and home) in Los Santos, amid a citywide riot, to confront Big Smoke, and ends up killing him. As Big Smoke lies dying on the floor, he at first admits feelings of guilt to CJ, saying he "got addicted to the money, the power...", but that he can't help his own greedy nature, saying "I just see the opportunity...", and finally proclaims that though he is gone, his name will stay in history forever and utters his last words before dying: "When I'm gone, everyone gonna remember my name...BIG SMOKE!". CJ feels sorrow for the decline of Big Smoke's values, uttering very silently to himself "Damn, man... what a waste...”

In The Introduction, Smoke unsuccessfully tries to convince Sweet to have the Grove Street Families sell drugs, saying that the Ballas have gotten rich and powerful due to drug sales, while the Grove Street Families have lost power. Smoke, however, easily convinces Ryder to his side during a private meeting between the two. It is also evident that Tenpenny had a large hand in Smoke turning traitor, apparently tempting Smoke with chances of money and power, and possibly even threatening him.

Clifton Powell provided the voice for Big Smoke.

Trivia

 * Big Smoke drives a Glendale with a white roof and baby blue body. The car's license plate reads A2TMFK. This could mean a two-timing motherfucker, hinting at his actions later in the game, or a two ton motherfucker, which references the fact that he is overweight, which is also a running gag early on in the game. Some say it is also a reference to the Cypress Hill song A to the Motherf*ckin K, however the game is set in 1992, and the song came out in 1993.
 * His favorite radio station is Bounce FM, as referenced by what is always first been heard when inside his car.
 * The Beta version of Big Smoke wears white jersey, black pants, and features a baldhead. All of this can be seen on the statue of himself inside his Crack Palace.
 * Some of Big Smoke's lines in early missions are hypocritical, during the mission Drive-Thru, he replies 'You know what people are like. Say they have love for you, but won't say a word. Too damn scared.' when Sweet, CJ, Ryder and himself are talking about CJ's Mother's death, and again when Smoke says 'All they do is sell Yay and ruin the place. No crack ever made a gang tight.' when in fact, at the end of the game, Smoke creates a crack empire.

Mission appearances

 * GTA San Andreas
 * The Introduction
 * Big Smoke (Boss)
 * Sweet & Kendl
 * Tagging Up Turf
 * Cleaning the Hood
 * Drive-Thru
 * Nines and AKs
 * Drive-By
 * OG Loc (Boss)
 * Running Dog (Boss)
 * Wrong Side of the Tracks (Boss)
 * Just Business (Boss)
 * Reuniting the Families
 * The Green Sabre (Betrayal)
 * End of the Line (Killed)

Gallery
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