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{{Short description|Protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas}}
{{General CVG character|width=240px
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Carl Johnson (''Grand Theft Auto'')}}
| name = Carl "CJ" Johnson
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
| image = ]
{{rewrite|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Carl Johnson
| image = CarlJohnsonGTA.png
| caption = Carl Johnson's official artwork
| series = ]
| firstgame = '']'' (2004) | firstgame = '']'' (2004)
| series = '']'' | last = '']'' (2004)
| creator = ]
| voiceactor = ]<ref name="Voice actor">{{cite web | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402224/fullcredits | title = Full ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' credits | work = ] | accessdate = October 2 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
| voice = ]
| motionactor =
| motion_actor = Young Maylay
| nickname = CJ
| occupation = {{hlist|]|underboss|]}}
| affiliation = Grove Street Families
| family = {{ubl|"Sweet" Johnson (brother)|Kendl Johnson (sister)|Brian Johnson (brother)|Beverly Johnson (mother)}}
| nationality = ]
| origin = Los Santos, San Andreas
}} }}
'''Carl "CJ" Johnson''' is a ] in the '']'' ] series, serving as the ], ] and ] in '']''.


'''Carl Johnson''', also known as '''"CJ"''', is a fictional character and the ] ] of the 2004 video game '']'', the fifth main installment in ]'s ]. He is voiced by ], who also served as the likeness for the character and provided some ].
CJ is one of the leading members of the ] (GSF), along with his brother, ]. Sweet suggested that CJ was born in the Johnson House, a two floor home at a Grove Street ] in Ganton, Los Santos, which was also the home of the Johnson brothers' mother, Beverly Johnson.<ref name="Johnson House">'''CJ:''' "''Looks like baseheads have took over the spot. Let's go home.''" / '''Sweet:''' "''This is home, man. Get these fuckers out of Mom's house! You was born in there. Damn!''" (Opening cut scene of "Home Coming", ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas''.)</ref>


Carl is the second-in-command of the Grove Street Families, a street gang based in the fictional city of Los Santos. The gang is led by Carl's brother, Sweet, with whom he became estranged following the death of their younger brother Brian. Five years later, Carl returns to Los Santos after his mother's murder, forcing him to return to his gangster lifestyle while under pressure from criminal organisations and corrupt authorities. Carl's quest to find the truth behind his mother's murder leads him to develop alliances, take on rival street gangs and build up his own criminal empire.
==Role==
{{spoiler}}
===Prologue===
After the death of his younger brother, Brian, Carl escaped the pressures of gang life and moved to ] in 1987, where he had the opportunity of working with ''Don'' ] son, ] in the car theft business<ref name="Introduction film">{{cite | author = Rockstar North | title = The Introduction | publisher = Rockstar Games | date = 2004}}</ref> and is once seen ] a bypasser on the streets.<ref name="Introduction film"/>


Unlike Tommy Vercetti in the previous game, who was voiced by veteran Hollywood actor ], Rockstar Games sought a little-known actor to portray Carl, instead relegating celebrity voice talent to secondary roles. Executive producer ] felt that a then-unknown ] made Carl feel more human. The character received critical acclaim, with praise going to his complexity, lack of stereotype and his sense of conscience, and is regarded as one of the greatest video game characters of all time.
===Initial role in Los Santos===
In 1992, Carl Johnson receives a phone call from Sweet on the death of his mother and returns to ], only to be confronted by members of ] (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums), consisting of officers ], ] and ]. Throughout the storyline, CJ is forced to work for C.R.A.S.H., after learning that he has been framed by the organization for the murder of an Internal Affairs police officer Ralph Pendlebury, whom C.R.A.S.H. members had silenced to prevent him from exposing the team's illegal activities.


==Concept and design==
Early in the game, CJ aided Sweet and the rest of the senior members in reviving the GSF, by ridding parts of the neighborhood of ] dealers, acquiring firearms and regaining gang territory. This would end for a period of time, after CJ learned that his friends ] and ], senior GSF members, have betrayed the gang, while Sweet was ambushed by rival ] gang members and arrested by the police. CJ was arrested in the process, and released by C.R.A.S.H. into a rural area to perform another job for the team. CJ's and Sweet's arrests also paved the way for the downfall of the GSF - as well as ] ] - and total domination of Los Santos by their rivals, the Ballas and ].
CJ has over 7,700 lines of dialogue in '']'': more than 3,500 in cutscenes, and over 4,200 in the open world.<ref name="GameSpot Talking"/> Executive producer ] sought an unknown actor for CJ as he found ]'s performance as ] in '']'' "conflicting"; he opted to cast celebrities in secondary roles.<ref name="Edge Houser"/> Rockstar asked ] to audition after overhearing him speak with co-writer ]. <ref name="OPM Maylay"/>{{rp|p=41}} He auditioned in Los Angeles; for one audition, he read parts of the script for '']'' (1993).<ref name="Rolling Stone Retrospective"/> He was cast in the role, his first acting performance, a few weeks after auditioning,<ref name="OPM Maylay"/>{{rp|p=41}} and recorded for about a month in New York City.<ref name="Rolling Stone Retrospective"/> He felt the developers gave him freedom to insert his own personality into CJ.<ref name="GameSpy Maylay"/> Sam Houser felt Young Maylay's obscurity in the industry made CJ feel "very, very human".<ref name="Edge Houser"/>


The team aimed for CJ to be "the most human" character they had developed, ensuring he had "the most intense story around him" to allow players to identify.<ref name="PC PowerPlay Preview"/>{{rp|p=54}} DJ Pooh compared CJ to ] in that he is "fiercely dedicated" to his family but becomes "cold-blooded" when necessary.<ref name="OPM US Preview"/>{{rp|p=49}} CJ's physical appearance is modeled on Young Maylay.<ref name="GameSpy Maylay"/> He said he was influenced by his own life when portraying the character: "I put Maylay on CJ. I make him as much me as I can, without too much changing of the script".<ref name="OPM Maylay"/>{{rp|p=41}}
===Exile and subsequent return to Los Santos===
After a brief stay in the Badlands, CJ and his remaining associates headed north for ], establishing a vehicle chop shop and dealership while strengthening links with the local ]s and killing Ryder. After gaining access to ] and the surrounding ] area, CJ goes to work for undercover government agent ]. He then moves into Venturas and works to put the Triad-funded ] on top by eliminating the competition. CJ saves rapper ]'s life by interrupting his ] attempt (CJ apparently feels guilty for his part in ruining Dogg's career). He also kills Eddie Pulaski and, after completing another mission for Toreno, is rewarded with Sweet's early release from prison.


''San Andreas'' introduced ] elements to customise CJ's accessories, clothing, hairstyles, and tattoos.<ref name="IGN Review"/><ref name="IGN Style"/> Balancing food and physical activity impacts CJ's appearance and physical attributes; eating and exercising maintains health.<ref name="IGN Diets"/> The team felt that the ability to adjust CJ's weight helped the player to feel as though their actions could have consequences in the game.<ref name="1Up Houser"/> Dan Houser felt CJ's customisability allowed players to better connect with the characters.<ref name="Game Informer Cover"/>{{rp|p=50}} Young Maylay recorded several variations of different lines in consideration of CJ's weight fluctuations.<ref name="Rolling Stone Retrospective"/>
CJ wants Sweet to join him in building a new life. However, Sweet's priorities are different: he wants to remain on Grove Street, get rid of the crack dealers and addicts all over the streets, and reestablish the Grove Street Families as a force in Los Santos. CJ is initially reluctant to return to the hood, as he has been extremely successful since leaving the gang behind. However, Sweet eventually convinces him to go along with the plan. In the midst of a citywide riot sparked by Frank Tenpenny's acquittal on corruption charges, CJ finally confronts and kills Big Smoke, then pursues Tenpenny, who dies in a car crash in front of the Johnson House. In front of the dying and broken man, CJ prepares to shoot Tenpenny with his ], but Sweet stops him. Carl then leaves Tenpenny with these words: "See you around...Officer", thus wrapping up all the loose ends in his life.


==Fictional character biography==
After the riot breaks up, Madd Dogg visits the Johnson house with an announcement that he's received a ] for his new album. Everyone inside then decides to keep a low profile with everything that they've accomplished. CJ then gets up and leaves the house. Kendl then asks where he's going, and he says, "Fittin' to hit the block, see what's happening," and the game's main storyline ends.
{{Long plot|section|date=January 2024}}


===Background===
CJ is portrayed as a major success at the end of the game. He has completed a major casino heist, holds a large stake in a Las Venturas casino, is a successful rapper's manager, owns several business ventures in San Fierro, and is a trained pilot.
Carl was born to Beverly Johnson and an unnamed father, in his family home, located on Grove Street in the Ganton district of Los Santos. Growing up, he got along well with his mother and siblings Sean (nicknamed "Sweet"), Kendl, and Brian, though not with his father, whom he barely remembers; as he states at one point, " never really had a father."<ref name=":0" /> At a young age, Carl, Sweet, and Brian befriended Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris and Lance "Ryder" Wilson, who lived on the same street, and all five got involved in small-time criminal activities. After Sweet joined the Grove Street Families, one of the oldest and most powerful ]s in Los Santos, he eventually became its leader and inducted Carl, Brian, Big Smoke, and Ryder into the gang.
{{endspoiler}}


By 1987, with the ] business expanding, most gangs in Los Santos began selling drugs in an effort to increase their power. However, Sweet's principles against drug use prevented him from doing the same, causing the Families to slowly lose most of their influence and territories to their rivals. Around the same time, Brian was killed under unknown circumstances, most likely an attack by a rival gang, which Carl is implied to have witnessed, but did nothing to try and save his brother. This soured his relationships with his friends and family, especially with Sweet, who blamed him for the tragedy. After deciding that his life in Los Santos was unpromising, Carl cut his ties with everyone and moved to ], where he resided for five years and found work in ] for ].<ref name=":0">{{cite video game|title=]|developer=]|publisher=]|date=October 26, 2004|platform=], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]|level="The Introduction"}}</ref>
==Additional information==
===Voice actor and physical appearance===
CJ was voiced by ], aka Young Maylay.<ref name="Voice actor"/> Rumors circulated the Internet for a while that ] was supposed to voice CJ, but these were most likely just wishful thinking on the part of Chappelle's fans.{{verify source}} Rap star ] says that he was asked by ] to voice CJ, but turned the role down, stating that he would only voice himself in a video game (which eventually happened in '']'').<ref name="50cent">{{cite web | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402224/trivia | title = ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' trivia | work = ] | accessdate = August 28 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> Rockstar claims that this was false and 50 Cent starred in ''Bulletproof'' out of jealousy.{{verify source}}


===Character customization=== ===Return to Los Santos===
The game's main storyline begins with Carl flying back to Los Santos following the death of his mother in a ] in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McLaughlin|first1=Rus|last2=Thomas|first2=Lucas M.|date=May 6, 2013|title=IGN Presents The History of Grand Theft Auto|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/05/06/ign-presents-the-history-of-grand-theft-auto-2?page=4|access-date=June 8, 2013|website=IGN}}</ref> Upon his arrival, Carl is confronted by Los Santos Police Department (LSPD) Officers Frank Tenpenny, Eddie Pulaski, and Jimmy Hernandez, three highly corrupt members of the city's community policing unit, ] (CRASH). Tenpenny and his associates warn Carl early on that they intend to frame him for the murder of police officer Ralph Pendlebury, whom CRASH had killed to prevent him from exposing their illegal activities. They also force Carl to do work for them in exchange for his and his family's safety.
Unlike the principal characters of other '']'' games, CJ's appearance is highly customizable, as the player can purchase hair cuts, tattoos and clothing for him. Certain clothes, tattoos and hairstyles improve CJ's standing with his fellow gang members as well as his sex appeal to his selective girlfriends. Changing of clothes, hair and tattoos can also negate a current wanted level.


After reuniting with Sweet, Kendl, Big Smoke, and Ryder, Carl learns that the Families have lost almost all of their territories to their main rivals, the Ballas, during his absence, and agrees to stay in Los Santos and help solve the gang's problems. While doing so, he befriends Kendl's boyfriend and Varrios Los Aztecas leader Cesar Vialpando, despite Sweet's initial objections, and helps his friend Jeffrey "OG Loc" Cross jumpstart his career as a ] despite his lack of talent.
Cars driven by CJ can also be modified externally and internally. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, paint job, and choice of accessories, the player may find their sex appeal greatly heightened upon exiting the car. As CJ dances, rides bikes, drives cars, and flies aircraft, his skill will improve in each. This allows players to roll backwards on bikes without falling, handle cars better, bunny hop higher etc.


The Families' resurgence is short-lived, as Carl discovers that Big Smoke and Ryder have betrayed the gang by forming alliances with CRASH and the Ballas, and planned the attack that killed his mother, which was actually meant for Sweet, in an effort to eliminate the Families. While Carl uncovers this, Sweet is ambushed by a group of Ballas and wounded. Carl arrives to rescue him, but both brothers end up arrested by the police. While Sweet goes to prison awaiting trial, Carl is kidnapped by CRASH, who take him to the countryside near Los Santos so that he can continue working for them. Tenpenny threatens to have Sweet killed if Carl attempts to return to Los Santos or intervene in CRASH's dealings with Big Smoke, Ryder, and the Ballas, who have effectively taken over the city and flooded it with drugs.
The player may also have CJ build up his muscle by working out at a gym. Doing so improves physical strength, affecting damage done in hand-to-hand combat against opposing adversaries, as well as durability against damage, and sex appeal. There is also the option of exercising on treadmills or exercise-bikes in order to increase ]. While having no physical effect, this allows CJ to sprint, and power-swim (]), longer distances. Besides the street-style of fighting CJ starts off with, there are also 3 additional types of fighting style which can be learned in the gyms in each of the three cities in game: ] from Los Santos, ] from San Fierro, and ] from Las Venturas.


===Exile, new alliances and business ventures===
Another key ingredient in ''San Andreas'' is respect, the idea of which was previously explored in '']''. The player earns respect through various actions such as killing police or rival gangs, and finishing missions. On the other hand, killing fellow gang mates would decrease respect. As more respect is earned, the player is able to recruit Grove Street gang members, up to a maximum of 7 at one time.
During his time in the countryside, Carl befriends a ] ] farmer known as "The Truth", and performs several robberies alongside Cesar's aggressively psychotic cousin Catalina, with whom he enters a short-lived relationship. He also engages in a few illegal street races hosted by blind ] leader Wu Zi Mu ("Woozie"), in which he wins a defunct garage from Catalina's ]. Carl and his associates later travel to San Fierro, where they transform the garage into a vehicle ] with the help of several new allies, and purchase a car dealership and an RC shop. Carl later works for the local Triads, strengthening his ties with Woozie in the process, and infiltrates and destroys San Andreas' largest ], the Loco Syndicate, who supplied the Ballas with ]. In the process, he also exacts revenge on Ryder for his betrayal, killing him during a meeting with the syndicate's leaders.


After eliminating the Loco Syndicate, Carl is contacted by its former leader, Mike Toreno, who reveals himself to be an undercover government agent, and enlists his help with several operations in exchange for Sweet's early release from prison. While working for Toreno, Carl purchases an abandoned airstrip in the desert, acquires a pilot's license, and steals a $60 million ] from a ] base. He later travels to Las Venturas to help Woozie open a casino by robbing the rival ]-run casino, Caligula's Palace, after earning the mob's trust by working for ] Salvatore Leone, the father of Carl's former employer, Joey. In the process, he befriends former Caligula's manager Ken Rosenberg and helps him and his associates escape from Salvatore's clutches. During his stay in Las Venturas, Carl also rescues famous former rapper Madd Dogg, whose career he inadvertently ruined while helping OG Loc, from a suicide attempt, and continues to work for CRASH, until they betray and try to kill him. Carl is saved by Officer Hernandez, who secretly betrayed his partners by reporting them to ], and kills Pulaski after the latter murders Hernandez. Carl is later called by Sweet, who has been sentenced to life in prison, effectively removing Tenpenny's bargaining chip.
The player may also collect horseshoes in Las Venturas to improve luck, and oysters statewide to improve sex appeal. Relationships with the player's selective girlfriends may also be improved through dating (depending on whether the date is successful or not). Before dating, the player may present their girlfriend with a gift of either flowers or a sex toy, which may also be used as clubs.


As Carl and his associates make plans to return to Los Santos, Madd Dogg asks Carl to become his manager and help him rebuild his career. Carl regains ownership of Madd Dogg's mansion in Los Santos, which the latter had sold to the Vagos gang for drugs, and restarts his career with the help of Rosenberg and his friends.
===Character analysis===
Within the game's storyline, CJ is an ] and a highly sympathetic character. Despite being a criminal, Carl's intentions are often honorable, particularly ] to other characters or other decisions that he could make. While ] and ], the player-controlled characters of '']'' and '']'', respectively, are depicted as selfish and ], choosing crime because it affords them the most personal gain, CJ is depicted as a product of his environment, and his criminality and gang affiliation are his best chance to make a life for himself. Similarly, while Claude (and to some extent, Tommy) do not appear to have feelings for other people and give no consideration to what is right and wrong, CJ does, but his sense of morality is centered on his experiences in the ghetto and on doing what he has to do to provide for himself and his friends and family.


===Tying up loose ends===
Carl also differs substantially from Claude and Tommy in that CJ rarely commits cold-blooded murder. Though he does assassinate people, they are primarily individuals such as Smoke or Pulaski, who have either betrayed CJ or are a part of the general corruption of San Andreas. In the final missions of ''GTA III'' and ''Vice City'', Claude and Tommy ruthlessly kill their former friends and associates who since betrayed them. In similar situations, however, Carl pities his former friends Ryder and Big Smoke even as he kills them. As Smoke lies dying after CJ beats him in a firefight, Carl regrets that he had to kill Smoke, who "was like family." At the same time, neither Claude nor Tommy commits murder for something as trivial as a book of lyrics, as CJ does. In ''The Introduction'', CJ ] an innocent man on the street, and within the game CJ kills Madd Dogg's manager, a person whom CJ has never met before, strictly to ruin Madd Dogg's career.
Shortly after his return to Los Santos, Carl is contacted by Toreno for one final job. Upon completion, the latter honors their agreement and has Sweet released from prison. Although delighted to have his brother back, Sweet is not impressed with Carl's business ventures and chastises him for forgetting about their gang, before talking him into helping to rebuild the Families' strength once again.


During this time, Tenpenny is tried for several charges, but is acquitted in his trial, causing all gang-occupied districts of Los Santos to riot. In the midst of the chaos, Carl reclaims the Families' lost turf from their rivals, and tracks down Big Smoke to his crack palace penthouse, where he kills him for his betrayal. Tenpenny then arrives to claim his share of Smoke's money and kill Carl, but the latter survives and pursues Tenpenny, who is driving a fire truck, with Sweet's help. The brothers' pursuit eventually causes Tenpenny to crash the fire truck outside Carl's family home, whereupon he dies from his injuries. With Tenpenny dead, the riots come to an abrupt end and all loose ends in Carl's life are resolved.
Later in the game, however, CJ feels guilty and saves Madd Dogg's life as well as his career by interrupting his suicide attempt, and then CJ personally risks his life to take Madd Dogg's mansion back from a big-time drug dealer. Many of the missions where CJ attacks victims indiscriminately occur toward the beginning of the storyline, before CJ's relationships and motivations are fully developed. As CJ makes money and grows as a person, he no longer attacks innocent people and instead commits crimes strictly to do right by his family and friends. Throughout the game, most of CJ's criminality is directed at people who are more villainous than he is. Carl also tends to align himself with criminal organizations that are relatively more honorable than their competition. The GSF refuses to conduct or even condone sales of hard drugs because of what it could do to the neighborhood, and ] leader ] in particular prefers to avoid violence whenever possible in his dealings, in contrast to his competitors, the ] in San Fierro and various Mafia families in Las Venturas.


At the conclusion of the game, Carl and his allies are seen discussing what their future holds in the former's home, when Madd Dogg visits them to announce that he has been awarded a ] for his new album. As everyone celebrates, Carl leaves the house to check things out around the neighborhood.
Carl is usually depicted as being ] (in relative terms) and obliging, particularly towards his girlfriends and the character ]. CJ also displays loyalty and mutual respect to his gang and his friends as well as a deeper affection for his family, becoming visibly distraught after he enters his mother's home, rushed with memories of the past. Early on in the game, CJ is depicted as a decent enough person who is forced to resort to crime for lack of legal avenues available to him. He appears a bit out of his depth, and he commits a handful of crimes that target innocent victims at the behest of people he is loyal to. However, as the storyline progresses and CJ gains perspective on his situation, he becomes more thoughtful and moves from following orders to directing his own affairs. Most of the characters who brought CJ into conflicts he had little business in, such as Smoke, Ryder, and OG Loc, become his adversaries later in the game.


==See also== ==Reception==
The character of Carl Johnson received critical acclaim after the release of ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and has been included in many lists of the best characters in video games. '']''{{'}}s John Davison considered CJ "possibly one of the most well-developed and believable videogame characters ever made" due to his layered personality and realistic behaviour;<ref name="OPM Review 1"/> ''1Up.com''{{'}}s Parish concurred but felt CJ's kind nature made his in-game actions less believable, a problem that may have been circumvented through a branching narrative.<ref name="1Up Review 3"/> '']''{{'}}s Jesse SChedeen felt, of all series protagonists, "few are as compelling or flat out badass" as CJ, praising the customisation.<ref name="badasses">{{cite web |url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2008/04/28/grand-theft-auto-favorite-badasses?page=5 |title=Grand Theft Auto: Favorite Badasses |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |website=] |date=April 28, 2008 |access-date=June 8, 2013 }}</ref> '']''{{'}}s Paul Tamburro wrote that "it was refreshing to take control of a character who was considerate about when and when not to commit wanton mass-slaughtering",<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 10 Most Memorable GTA Characters |url=http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/198965-top-10-most-memorable-gta-characters |publisher=PlayStation Beyond |last=Tamburro |first=Paul |date=November 2, 2012 |access-date=June 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220072528/http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/198965-top-10-most-memorable-gta-characters |archive-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Matthew Cooper of '']'' said CJ "was the first to appear with a conscience, the first that didn't seem to enjoy killing copious numbers of people".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=GTA V - Top 10 Greatest Characters In Grand Theft Auto History |url=http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/gta-v-the-10-greatest-characters-in-grand-theft-auto-history/ |magazine=] |last=Cooper |first=Matthew |date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820072359/http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/gta-v-the-10-greatest-characters-in-grand-theft-auto-history/ |archive-date=August 20, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* ]

'']'' listed CJ among their list of the best ] characters in video games, refusing the idea that he reinforces negative stereotypes since he is "more ]-born ] than straight-up gangsta".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/black-history-month/?page=11|title=Gaming's Greatest Black Characters|author=Swiderski, Adam|publisher=]|access-date=July 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323011408/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/black-history-month/?page=11|archive-date=March 23, 2009 }}</ref> Similarly, Larry Hester of '']'' named CJ the "gangbanger with a good heart."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/larry-hester/the-10-best-black-characters-in-video-games |title=2. Carl "CJ" Johnson — The 10 Best Black Characters In Video Games |magazine=] |last=Hester |first=Larry |date=June 26, 2012 |access-date=June 4, 2013 }}</ref> In 2012, '']'' wrote "few heroes have been as charismatic as him, and few likely will in the future".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-100-video-game-heroes/ |title=100 best heroes in video games |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=] |date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=June 4, 2013 }}</ref> In 2008, '']'' called CJ "the most humble" of ''Grand Theft Auto'' anti-heroes and "one of the first strong African-American lead characters in any major videogame".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html | title=The Top 50 Xbox Characters of All Time |date=September 30, 2008 |work=] | access-date=July 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115121608/http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html |archive-date=November 15, 2013 }}</ref> '']''{{'}}s Matt Helgeson felt "he could have easily been another gangster stereotype, but by the end of ''San Andreas'' we see CJ as a flawed, but ultimately good man who did the best he could in the worst of circumstances."<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/19/the-snubbed-list.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130830203214/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/19/the-snubbed-list.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 30, 2013 | title=The Snubbed List | author=Bertz, Matt | date=November 19, 2010 | magazine=] | access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref> In 2011, readers of '']'' voted Carl "CJ" Johnson as the 22nd top video game character of all time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/16/guinness-names-top-50-video-game-characters-of-all-time.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219132136/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/16/guinness-names-top-50-video-game-characters-of-all-time.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 19, 2011 |title=Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time |newspaper=] |first=Jeff |last=Marchiafava |date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=February 2, 2018}}</ref>

CJ won Hero of 2005 at the ].<ref name="Golden Joystick 2005"/> At ], CJ nominated for Favorite Character and Young Maylay for Best Voice Performance – Male.<ref name="G-Phoria Nom"/>

Due to CJ's popularity and relative simplicity of his character model, unofficial conversions of the CJ model to various video games has become a humorous "tradition" and an informal ] in the ] community especially whenever a game receives support for modifications,<ref name="Zwiezen">{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2023-08-25 |title=Someone Has Already Modded GTA's CJ Into Armored Core VI |url=https://kotaku.com/armored-core-6-acvi-fromsoft-gta-san-andreas-cj-mod-pc-1850776143 |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Trueman">{{Cite web |last=Trueman |first=Aaron |date=2024-10-10 |title=GTA San Andreas' CJ Already Playable In Silent Hill 2 Remake |url=https://rockstarintel.com/gta-san-andreas-cj-mod-silent-hill-2-remake/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=RockstarINTEL |language=en-US}}</ref> in similar vein to '']'' being ] to ].<ref name="Stanton">{{Cite web |last=Stanton |first=Rich |date=2023-08-25 |title=It took modders less than a day to add CJ from GTA: San Andreas to Armored Core 6 |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/it-took-modders-less-than-a-day-to-add-cj-from-gta-san-andreas-to-armored-core-6/ |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>


==References== ==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<div class="references-small">
<references/>
</div>


<ref name="1Up Houser">{{cite web |url=https://www.1up.com/features/sam-houser-interview |title=Sam Houser Interview |last=Mielke |first=James |work=] |publisher=] |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017222203/https://www.1up.com/features/sam-houser-interview |archivedate=17 October 2012 }}</ref>
{{Grand Theft Auto characters}}

<ref name="1Up Review 3">{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?pager.offset=2&cId=3136054 |title=''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' PS2 Review |page=3 |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |work=] |publisher=] |date=31 October 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041116015913/http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?pager.offset=2&cId=3136054 |archivedate=16 November 2004 }}</ref>

<ref name="Edge Houser">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-making-of-grand-theft-auto-vice-city/3 |title=The Making Of ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' |magazine=] |publisher=] |date=7 December 2012 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210064847/http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-making-of-grand-theft-auto-vice-city/3 |archivedate=10 December 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name="Game Informer Cover">{{cite magazine |title=Rising in the West |pages=42–51 |volume=14 |issue=134 |editor-last=McNamara |editor-first=Andy |magazine=] |date=June 2004 }}</ref>

<ref name="GameSpot Talking">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-weekend-update-street-talking/1100-6111263/ |title=''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' Weekend Update: Street Talking |work=] |publisher=] |date=26 October 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106072456/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-weekend-update-street-talking/1100-6111263/ |archivedate=6 November 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="GameSpy Maylay">{{cite web |url=http://planetgrandtheftauto.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=18 |title=Young MayLay Speaks |work=] |publisher=] |date=6 July 2005 |accessdate=15 January 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416192103/http://planetgrandtheftauto.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=18 |archivedate=16 April 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="Golden Joystick 2005">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/nov/10/games.guardianweeklytechnologysection1 |title=Golden Joystick awards: Winners and losers |last=Anderiesz |first=Mike |work=] |date=10 November 2005 |accessdate=10 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920051223/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/nov/10/games.guardianweeklytechnologysection1 |archivedate=20 September 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="G-Phoria Nom">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/g-phoria-nominees-announced/1100-6128013/ |title=G-Phoria nominees announced |last=Surette |first=Tim |work=] |publisher=] |date=22 June 2005 |accessdate=15 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019002424/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/g-phoria-nominees-announced/1100-6128013/ |archivedate=19 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN Diets">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/27/good-eats-the-diets-of-san-andreas |title=Good Eats: The Diets of ''San Andreas'' |last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |work=] |publisher=] |date=28 July 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909184711/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/07/27/good-eats-the-diets-of-san-andreas |archivedate=9 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/25/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-6 |title=''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' |last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |work=] |publisher=] |date=26 October 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427124712/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/25/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-6 |archivedate=27 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN Style">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/13/compulsive-shopping-the-style-of-san-andreas |title=Compulsive Shopping: The Style of ''San Andreas'' |last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |work=] |publisher=] |date=14 August 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025004952/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/08/13/compulsive-shopping-the-style-of-san-andreas |archivedate=25 October 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="OPM Maylay">{{cite magazine |title=''GTA: San Andreas'' |last=Zuniga |first=Todd |magazine=] |issue=86 |pages=40–41 |publisher=] |date=November 2004 |editor-last=Davison |editor-first=John }}</ref>

<ref name="OPM Review 1">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3135875&did=3 |title=''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' PS2 Review |page=1 |last=Davison |first=John |magazine=] |publisher=] |date=25 October 2004 |accessdate=9 January 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041106224523/https://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3135875&did=3 |archivedate=6 November 2004 }}</ref>

<ref name="OPM US Preview">{{cite magazine |title=Gangster Construction Set |magazine=] |issue=85 |pages=48–49 |publisher=] |date=October 2004 |editor-last=Davison |editor-first=John }}</ref>

<ref name="PC PowerPlay Preview">{{cite journal |title=Welcome to the Jungle |last=Best |first=Timothy C. |journal=] |issue=113 |pages=52–59 |publisher=] |date=June 2005 }}</ref>

<ref name="Rolling Stone Retrospective">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-20-year-retrospective-1235143587/ |title=20 Years Ago, ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' Perfectly Re-Created Nineties Los Angeles |last=Adeniji |first=Ade |magazine=] |publisher=] |date=26 October 2024 |accessdate=31 October 2024 }}</ref>
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Latest revision as of 05:28, 26 December 2024

Protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Misplaced Pages's quality standards. You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (January 2024)
Fictional character
Carl Johnson
Grand Theft Auto character
Carl Johnson's official artwork
First gameGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
Last appearanceThe Introduction (2004)
Created byRockstar North
Voiced byYoung Maylay
Motion captureYoung Maylay
In-universe information
NicknameCJ
Occupation
AffiliationGrove Street Families
Family
  • "Sweet" Johnson (brother)
  • Kendl Johnson (sister)
  • Brian Johnson (brother)
  • Beverly Johnson (mother)
OriginLos Santos, San Andreas
NationalityAmerican

Carl Johnson, also known as "CJ", is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the fifth main installment in Rockstar Games's Grand Theft Auto series. He is voiced by Young Maylay, who also served as the likeness for the character and provided some motion capture.

Carl is the second-in-command of the Grove Street Families, a street gang based in the fictional city of Los Santos. The gang is led by Carl's brother, Sweet, with whom he became estranged following the death of their younger brother Brian. Five years later, Carl returns to Los Santos after his mother's murder, forcing him to return to his gangster lifestyle while under pressure from criminal organisations and corrupt authorities. Carl's quest to find the truth behind his mother's murder leads him to develop alliances, take on rival street gangs and build up his own criminal empire.

Unlike Tommy Vercetti in the previous game, who was voiced by veteran Hollywood actor Ray Liotta, Rockstar Games sought a little-known actor to portray Carl, instead relegating celebrity voice talent to secondary roles. Executive producer Sam Houser felt that a then-unknown Young Maylay made Carl feel more human. The character received critical acclaim, with praise going to his complexity, lack of stereotype and his sense of conscience, and is regarded as one of the greatest video game characters of all time.

Concept and design

CJ has over 7,700 lines of dialogue in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: more than 3,500 in cutscenes, and over 4,200 in the open world. Executive producer Sam Houser sought an unknown actor for CJ as he found Ray Liotta's performance as Tommy Vercetti in Vice City "conflicting"; he opted to cast celebrities in secondary roles. Rockstar asked Young Maylay to audition after overhearing him speak with co-writer DJ Pooh. He auditioned in Los Angeles; for one audition, he read parts of the script for Menace II Society (1993). He was cast in the role, his first acting performance, a few weeks after auditioning, and recorded for about a month in New York City. He felt the developers gave him freedom to insert his own personality into CJ. Sam Houser felt Young Maylay's obscurity in the industry made CJ feel "very, very human".

The team aimed for CJ to be "the most human" character they had developed, ensuring he had "the most intense story around him" to allow players to identify. DJ Pooh compared CJ to Tupac Shakur in that he is "fiercely dedicated" to his family but becomes "cold-blooded" when necessary. CJ's physical appearance is modeled on Young Maylay. He said he was influenced by his own life when portraying the character: "I put Maylay on CJ. I make him as much me as I can, without too much changing of the script".

San Andreas introduced role-playing elements to customise CJ's accessories, clothing, hairstyles, and tattoos. Balancing food and physical activity impacts CJ's appearance and physical attributes; eating and exercising maintains health. The team felt that the ability to adjust CJ's weight helped the player to feel as though their actions could have consequences in the game. Dan Houser felt CJ's customisability allowed players to better connect with the characters. Young Maylay recorded several variations of different lines in consideration of CJ's weight fluctuations.

Fictional character biography

This section's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Background

Carl was born to Beverly Johnson and an unnamed father, in his family home, located on Grove Street in the Ganton district of Los Santos. Growing up, he got along well with his mother and siblings Sean (nicknamed "Sweet"), Kendl, and Brian, though not with his father, whom he barely remembers; as he states at one point, " never really had a father." At a young age, Carl, Sweet, and Brian befriended Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris and Lance "Ryder" Wilson, who lived on the same street, and all five got involved in small-time criminal activities. After Sweet joined the Grove Street Families, one of the oldest and most powerful street gangs in Los Santos, he eventually became its leader and inducted Carl, Brian, Big Smoke, and Ryder into the gang.

By 1987, with the drug trade business expanding, most gangs in Los Santos began selling drugs in an effort to increase their power. However, Sweet's principles against drug use prevented him from doing the same, causing the Families to slowly lose most of their influence and territories to their rivals. Around the same time, Brian was killed under unknown circumstances, most likely an attack by a rival gang, which Carl is implied to have witnessed, but did nothing to try and save his brother. This soured his relationships with his friends and family, especially with Sweet, who blamed him for the tragedy. After deciding that his life in Los Santos was unpromising, Carl cut his ties with everyone and moved to Liberty City, where he resided for five years and found work in stealing cars for Joey Leone.

Return to Los Santos

The game's main storyline begins with Carl flying back to Los Santos following the death of his mother in a drive-by shooting in 1992. Upon his arrival, Carl is confronted by Los Santos Police Department (LSPD) Officers Frank Tenpenny, Eddie Pulaski, and Jimmy Hernandez, three highly corrupt members of the city's community policing unit, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH). Tenpenny and his associates warn Carl early on that they intend to frame him for the murder of police officer Ralph Pendlebury, whom CRASH had killed to prevent him from exposing their illegal activities. They also force Carl to do work for them in exchange for his and his family's safety.

After reuniting with Sweet, Kendl, Big Smoke, and Ryder, Carl learns that the Families have lost almost all of their territories to their main rivals, the Ballas, during his absence, and agrees to stay in Los Santos and help solve the gang's problems. While doing so, he befriends Kendl's boyfriend and Varrios Los Aztecas leader Cesar Vialpando, despite Sweet's initial objections, and helps his friend Jeffrey "OG Loc" Cross jumpstart his career as a rapper despite his lack of talent.

The Families' resurgence is short-lived, as Carl discovers that Big Smoke and Ryder have betrayed the gang by forming alliances with CRASH and the Ballas, and planned the attack that killed his mother, which was actually meant for Sweet, in an effort to eliminate the Families. While Carl uncovers this, Sweet is ambushed by a group of Ballas and wounded. Carl arrives to rescue him, but both brothers end up arrested by the police. While Sweet goes to prison awaiting trial, Carl is kidnapped by CRASH, who take him to the countryside near Los Santos so that he can continue working for them. Tenpenny threatens to have Sweet killed if Carl attempts to return to Los Santos or intervene in CRASH's dealings with Big Smoke, Ryder, and the Ballas, who have effectively taken over the city and flooded it with drugs.

Exile, new alliances and business ventures

During his time in the countryside, Carl befriends a hippie weed farmer known as "The Truth", and performs several robberies alongside Cesar's aggressively psychotic cousin Catalina, with whom he enters a short-lived relationship. He also engages in a few illegal street races hosted by blind Triad leader Wu Zi Mu ("Woozie"), in which he wins a defunct garage from Catalina's new boyfriend. Carl and his associates later travel to San Fierro, where they transform the garage into a vehicle chop shop with the help of several new allies, and purchase a car dealership and an RC shop. Carl later works for the local Triads, strengthening his ties with Woozie in the process, and infiltrates and destroys San Andreas' largest drug cartel, the Loco Syndicate, who supplied the Ballas with crack cocaine. In the process, he also exacts revenge on Ryder for his betrayal, killing him during a meeting with the syndicate's leaders.

After eliminating the Loco Syndicate, Carl is contacted by its former leader, Mike Toreno, who reveals himself to be an undercover government agent, and enlists his help with several operations in exchange for Sweet's early release from prison. While working for Toreno, Carl purchases an abandoned airstrip in the desert, acquires a pilot's license, and steals a $60 million jetpack from a military base. He later travels to Las Venturas to help Woozie open a casino by robbing the rival Mafia-run casino, Caligula's Palace, after earning the mob's trust by working for Don Salvatore Leone, the father of Carl's former employer, Joey. In the process, he befriends former Caligula's manager Ken Rosenberg and helps him and his associates escape from Salvatore's clutches. During his stay in Las Venturas, Carl also rescues famous former rapper Madd Dogg, whose career he inadvertently ruined while helping OG Loc, from a suicide attempt, and continues to work for CRASH, until they betray and try to kill him. Carl is saved by Officer Hernandez, who secretly betrayed his partners by reporting them to Internal Affairs, and kills Pulaski after the latter murders Hernandez. Carl is later called by Sweet, who has been sentenced to life in prison, effectively removing Tenpenny's bargaining chip.

As Carl and his associates make plans to return to Los Santos, Madd Dogg asks Carl to become his manager and help him rebuild his career. Carl regains ownership of Madd Dogg's mansion in Los Santos, which the latter had sold to the Vagos gang for drugs, and restarts his career with the help of Rosenberg and his friends.

Tying up loose ends

Shortly after his return to Los Santos, Carl is contacted by Toreno for one final job. Upon completion, the latter honors their agreement and has Sweet released from prison. Although delighted to have his brother back, Sweet is not impressed with Carl's business ventures and chastises him for forgetting about their gang, before talking him into helping to rebuild the Families' strength once again.

During this time, Tenpenny is tried for several charges, but is acquitted in his trial, causing all gang-occupied districts of Los Santos to riot. In the midst of the chaos, Carl reclaims the Families' lost turf from their rivals, and tracks down Big Smoke to his crack palace penthouse, where he kills him for his betrayal. Tenpenny then arrives to claim his share of Smoke's money and kill Carl, but the latter survives and pursues Tenpenny, who is driving a fire truck, with Sweet's help. The brothers' pursuit eventually causes Tenpenny to crash the fire truck outside Carl's family home, whereupon he dies from his injuries. With Tenpenny dead, the riots come to an abrupt end and all loose ends in Carl's life are resolved.

At the conclusion of the game, Carl and his allies are seen discussing what their future holds in the former's home, when Madd Dogg visits them to announce that he has been awarded a gold record for his new album. As everyone celebrates, Carl leaves the house to check things out around the neighborhood.

Reception

The character of Carl Johnson received critical acclaim after the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and has been included in many lists of the best characters in video games. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine's John Davison considered CJ "possibly one of the most well-developed and believable videogame characters ever made" due to his layered personality and realistic behaviour; 1Up.com's Parish concurred but felt CJ's kind nature made his in-game actions less believable, a problem that may have been circumvented through a branching narrative. IGN's Jesse SChedeen felt, of all series protagonists, "few are as compelling or flat out badass" as CJ, praising the customisation. CraveOnline's Paul Tamburro wrote that "it was refreshing to take control of a character who was considerate about when and when not to commit wanton mass-slaughtering", and Matthew Cooper of Sabotage Times said CJ "was the first to appear with a conscience, the first that didn't seem to enjoy killing copious numbers of people".

GameDaily listed CJ among their list of the best Black characters in video games, refusing the idea that he reinforces negative stereotypes since he is "more ghetto-born James Bond than straight-up gangsta". Similarly, Larry Hester of Complex Gaming named CJ the "gangbanger with a good heart." In 2012, GamesRadar wrote "few heroes have been as charismatic as him, and few likely will in the future". In 2008, The Age called CJ "the most humble" of Grand Theft Auto anti-heroes and "one of the first strong African-American lead characters in any major videogame". Game Informer's Matt Helgeson felt "he could have easily been another gangster stereotype, but by the end of San Andreas we see CJ as a flawed, but ultimately good man who did the best he could in the worst of circumstances." In 2011, readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition voted Carl "CJ" Johnson as the 22nd top video game character of all time.

CJ won Hero of 2005 at the Golden Joystick Awards. At G-Phoria, CJ nominated for Favorite Character and Young Maylay for Best Voice Performance – Male.

Due to CJ's popularity and relative simplicity of his character model, unofficial conversions of the CJ model to various video games has become a humorous "tradition" and an informal test item in the modding community especially whenever a game receives support for modifications, in similar vein to Doom being ported to every computing platform.

References

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  4. ^ Adeniji, Ade (October 26, 2024). "20 Years Ago, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Perfectly Re-Created Nineties Los Angeles". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
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  6. Best, Timothy C. (June 2005). "Welcome to the Jungle". PC PowerPlay (113). Future plc: 52–59.
  7. Davison, John, ed. (October 2004). "Gangster Construction Set". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 85. Ziff Davis. pp. 48–49.
  8. Dunham, Jeremy (October 26, 2004). "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  9. Dunham, Jeremy (August 14, 2004). "Compulsive Shopping: The Style of San Andreas". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. Dunham, Jeremy (July 28, 2004). "Good Eats: The Diets of San Andreas". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  11. Mielke, James. "Sam Houser Interview". GMR. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  12. McNamara, Andy, ed. (June 2004). "Rising in the West". Game Informer. Vol. 14, no. 134. pp. 42–51.
  13. ^ Rockstar North (October 26, 2004). Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, OS X, PlayStation 3, iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Fire OS). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "The Introduction".
  14. McLaughlin, Rus; Thomas, Lucas M. (May 6, 2013). "IGN Presents The History of Grand Theft Auto". IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  15. Davison, John (October 25, 2004). "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PS2 Review". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Ziff Davis. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 6, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  16. Parish, Jeremy (October 31, 2004). "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PS2 Review". 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. p. 3. Archived from the original on November 16, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  17. Schedeen, Jesse (April 28, 2008). "Grand Theft Auto: Favorite Badasses". IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  18. Tamburro, Paul (November 2, 2012). "Top 10 Most Memorable GTA Characters". PlayStation Beyond. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  19. Cooper, Matthew (June 13, 2012). "GTA V - Top 10 Greatest Characters In Grand Theft Auto History". Sabotage Times. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  20. Swiderski, Adam. "Gaming's Greatest Black Characters". GameDaily. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  21. Hester, Larry (June 26, 2012). "2. Carl "CJ" Johnson — The 10 Best Black Characters In Video Games". Complex. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
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