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{{infobox character
{{infobox character|
 
|image =BigSmoke-GTASA.jpg
|games = [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]
|name = Melvin Harris
|name = Melvin Harris
|image = BigSmoke-GTASA.jpg
|aka = Big Smoke<br>Smoke
|size = 160px
|status = Deceased
|games = [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]
|aka = Big Smoke
|gender = M
|gender = M
|pob = [[Los Santos]], [[State of San Andreas|San Andreas]]
|dob =
|dod = 1992
|pob = [[Los Santos]]
|home = [[Big Smoke's Home]], [[Idlewood]], Los Santos<br>[[Big Smoke's Crack Palace]], [[East Los Santos]], Los Santos
|dod =
|nationality = [[United States|American]]
|home = [[Ganton]], [[Los Santos]]<br>[[Big Smoke's House]] in [[Idlewood]], [[Los Santos]]
|affiliations = [[Grove Street Families]]<br>[[C.R.A.S.H.]]<br>[[Ballas]]<br>[[Los Santos Vagos]]<br>[[San Fierro Rifa]]<br>[[Russian Mafia]]
|nationality = [[United States of America|American]]
|family =
|affiliations = [[Grove Street Families]]<br>[[Sweet Johnson]]<br>[[Carl Johnson]]<br>[[Ryder]]<br>[[OG Loc]]<br>[[Big Bear]]<br>[[B Dup]]<br>[[C.R.A.S.H.]]<br>[[Ballas]]<br>[[Los Santos Vagos]]<br>[[Russian Mafia]]<br>[[Loco Syndicate]]
|vehicles = Black [[Perennial]]<br>Blue [[Glendale]]
|vehicles = Black [[Perennial]]<br>Blue [[Glendale]]
|businesses = [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace]]
|businesses = [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace]]
|voice = [[Clifton Powell]]
|voice =[[Clifton Powell]]
}}
}}


''This article is about the character. For the mission in GTA San Andreas, see [[Big Smoke (Mission)]]''
:''This article is about the character. For the mission in GTA San Andreas, see [[Big Smoke (Mission)]]''
 
'''Melvin Harris''', better known as '''Big Smoke''' or '''Smoke''', is a character in the [[Grand Theft Auto]] series who appeared in [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]] (set in [[1992]]). He is a high ranking member of the [[Grove Street Families]] who later joins forces with the [[Ballas]], [[Los Santos Vagos]] and the [[Russian Mafia]], becoming the biggest criminal in the underworld of [[Los Santos]]. He is voiced by [[Clifton Powell]], who has also appeared in ''Menace II Society''.
 
==Character history==
===Early life===
Big Smoke was born in [[Los Santos]], likely in [[Ganton]] due to his close relationship with [[Sweet]] and [[Carl Johnson]], and he later became a member of the [[Grove Street Families]]. He rose through the ranks of the gang until becoming the right hand man of Sweet, being helped by the departure of Carl in [[1987]] after his [[Brian Johnson|brothers]] death. Smoke also, at one point, lived in Ganton, which may have been from birth, but moved to [[Idlewood]] some time prior to [[1992]], purchasing a [[Big Smoke's House|house]] with his 'aunts money' from a will. The Grove Street Families, however, begin to lose influence and status amongst the city gangs, noticing that the [[Ballas]], who control Idlewood, are selling drugs to fuel their riseing influence. He then starts trying to persuade Sweet to allow the Grove Street Families to sell drugs, although this fails. At some point Big Smoke forms an alliance with the Ballas and begins to secretly work for them. Smoke later includes the [[Los Santos Vagos]] and the [[Russian Mafia]], who were hoping to get a foothold in [[Los Santos]], into his new alliance. They also form an alliance with the [[Loco Syndicate]] who supply them with various drugs from their base in [[San Fierro]], although he doesn't realise that an [[Mike Toreno|undercover government agent]] is involved in the operation.
 
===1992===
In 1992, after failing to convince Sweet, he goes to [[Ryder]] and convinces him to join forces with the [[Ballas]], who later attempt to kill Sweet but fail, instead killing his [[Beverly Johnson|mother]]. The death of Beverly Johnson leads to her son, Carl, returning from [[Liberty City in GTA III Era|Liberty City]] and Carl meets Smoke inside his old [[Johnson House|house]]. Smoke initially fails to realise Carl but immediately accepts the return of an old friend, contrary to Sweet who remains initially hostile. At the funeral a Ballas [[Voodoo|car]] appears and performs a drive-by shooting, forcing Smoke, Carl, Sweet and Ryder to use [[Bicycle|bicycles]] in their effort to escape. The Ballas, however, only chase and shoot at Carl and Sweet, due to Smoke and Ryder's alliance with the gang, a fact that is missed by the Johnson brothers. Smoke likewise refuses to shoot at Ballas gangsters, who were performing a [[Drive Thru|drive-by]] on the gang, claiming that he did not want to waste the food.


'''Melvin Harris''' (? - 1992), known as '''Big Smoke''', was a senior member of the [[Grove Street Families]].
Smoke continues his life as normal within the Grove Street Families, often being found around Sweet. He begins to hire Carl to do various tasks, the first being to pick up [[OG Loc]] from prison, which ends with Carl and Loc chasing down [[Freddy]], a [[Los Santos Vagos]] gangster, in a motorcycle chase, eventually killing him. Carl later goes to see Smoke at his house but is disturbed to find [[Frank Tenpenny]] and [[Eddie Pulaski]], two [[Los Santos Police Department|police]] officers involved in [[C.R.A.S.H.]], which Smoke states is because they are 'nosey', although it is another sign of his true allegiances. C.R.A.S.H. are seen [[Wrong Side of the Tracks|again]] exiting Smoke's home.


== Description ==
Carl and Smoke then go to [[East Los Santos]] in search of ''Mary'', his 'cousin', although when there he attempts to take some cannabis from a Los Santos Vagos gangster. He is blown off but hits one of the gangsters with a [[Bat|bat]] with Carl chasing and killing the second. The two later work together to [[Wrong Side of the Tracks|kill four]] Los Santos Vagos gangsters as they leave a meeting with the [[San Fierro Rifa]] on the [[Brown Streak]] train. The two work together one last time when they [[Just Business|kill]] a number of [[Russian Mafia]] gangsters, although Smoke gives no reason for this encounter, which may have been to have Carl killed due to his continued success in attacking the Ballas and the Los Santos Vagos, both allied with Smoke.
Early in the storyline of the [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|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 [[Big Smoke's Home|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 [[Drive-Thru|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 [[Sean Johnson|Sweet's]] car eating fast food. In [[Cleaning the Hood|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 [[C.R.A.S.H.|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. Big Smoke also has a unique sense of humor calling a glass bottle a ''"Little glass Balla fool"'' and shooting it.


His true nature was revealed when he turned his back from the gang, having [[The Green Sabre|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 Johnson|Carl's]] [[Beverly Johnson|mother]]. 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 been revealed during certain [[West Coast Talk Radio|WCTR]] news 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.
Smoke continues his friendship with Sweet and Carl, although he and Ryder both refuse to enter the [[Jefferson Motel]] during the [[Reuniting the Families|attempt to re-unite]] the divided Grove Street Families, knowing that the meeting was to be interupted by the police. Sweet and Carl, however, both manage to escape and the four evade the police before going their separate ways when returning home.


In the [[End of the Line|final mission]] of the game, Carl enters Big Smoke's Crack Fortress (and home) in Los Santos, amid a citywide [[Los Santos Riots|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...
===Betratal and rise===
[[File:TheGreenSabre-GTASA2.png|right|thumb|250px|Big Smoke, [[Ryder]], [[Frank Tenpenny]] and [[Eddie Pulaski]] with the green [[Sabre]] used to kill [[Beverly Johnson]], as [[The Green Sabre|witnessed]] by [[Carl Johnson]] and [[Cesar Vialpando]].]]
[[Cesar Vialpando]], the boyfriend of Sweet and Carl's sister [[Kendl Johnson|Kendl]], later phones Carl to come to an alleyway in [[Little Mexico]]. While there the two witness Smoke and Ryder working with [[Frank Tenpenny]] and [[Eddie Pulaski]], with the green [[Sabre]] used to kill his mother being driven by Pulaski. Carl finally realises Smoke's true allegiances but is forced to go to [[Mulholland Intersection]] to save his brother from a Ballas ambush. Sweet is shot and later arrested, being taken to prison upstate while Carl is taken to [[Whetstone]] by Tenpenny, Pulaski and [[Jimmy Hernandez]].


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.
In the abscence of both Sweet and Carl, Smoke and Ryder take control of the Grove Street Families and add them to their alliance. The Ballas take control of Ganton and other Grove Street Families territory. The Grove Street Families gangsters, meanwhile, begin working as drugs smugglers, taking them from the Loco Syndicate factory in [[Doherty]], [[San Fierro]] back to Los Santos. Cesar Vialpando, however, discovers this and alerts Carl Johnson, who stops a number of the supplies from reaching Los Santos. Carl and Cesar later photograph Ryder with three men, later identified as [[Jizzy B.]], [[T-Bone Mendez]] and [[Mike Toreno]]. Carl, upon returning to his [[Doherty Garage|garage]] in San Fierro has [[Wu Zi Mu]] and his [[San Fierro Triads|Triad]] allies discover more about the trio.


[[Clifton Powell]] provided the voice for Big Smoke.
Carl then begins to work for Jizzy B., attempting to gather more information on the operation, and later gains his trust. Carl, however, later kills [[Ice Cold Killa|Jizzy]], San Fierro Rifa leader [[Pier 69 (mission)|T-Bone Mendez]] and undercover agent [[Mike Toreno]], as well as Ryder, before [[Yay Ka-Boom-Boom|destroying]] their drug manufacturing factory, stopping the supply back to Los Santos. Smoke, however, is undetered and instead starts his [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace|manufacturing plant]] in [[East Los Santos]]. He also begins working as the manager of [[OG Loc]], a rapper and childhood friend of both Smoke and Carl, who helped him by sabotaging the career of [[Madd Dogg]]. He also attempts to show himself as a philanthropist when telling [[West Coast Talk Radio]] that he is using his money to try and stop the sale drugs in Los Santos, despite being the drug baron of the city.
 
===Final days===
In the meantime Carl is re-united with Toreno, who used a decoy on his scheduled departing flight, and begins working for him attacking those harming [[United States of America|American]] interests. As a reward, Toreno gets Sweet parolled from prison and the two [[Home Coming|return home]], taking [[Ganton]] back for the Grove Street Families, who once ally themselves with the formerly absent leaders. By this time, however, Smoke had become a recluse and extremely paranoid, hiding away in his [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace|drug manufacturing plant]]. Sweet and Carl continue their attack on the Ballas, re-taking both [[Glen Park]] (in [[Beat Down on B Dup]]) and [[Idlewood]] (in [[Grove 4 Life]]).
 
[[File:EndoftheLine-GTASA3.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Carl Johnson]] confronting Big Smoke in his [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace|drug manufacturing factory]], shortly before a shoot-out and Smoke's [[End of the Line|death]].]]
The Johnson brothers then decide to take down Big Smoke and his operation, using a [[SWAT Tank]] to brake into his drug manufacturing plant. Carl then proceeds to shoot his way past the many Ballas, Los Santos Vagos and Russian Mafia gangsters in the factory until reaching the top floor, where he finds Big Smoke. The two become involved in a gun fight, which is won by Carl, who manages to talk to Smoke about his betrayal before his death. Smoke, showing remorse for his actions, tells Carl that he got caught up in the money and power he was able to obtain. He reminds Carl that when he is dead people will remember his name before dying from the gunshot wounds inflicted by Carl. Carl shows remorse for Smoke but is interupted by Tenpenny, who he later chases before he drives a [[Fire Truck|fire truck]] off a bridge into [[Grove Street]] and dies.


==Trivia==
==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 [[wp:Cypress Hill|Cypress Hill]] song ''A to the Motherf*ckin K'', however the game is set in 1992, and the song came out in 1993.
*Big Smoke drives a blue [[Glendale]], with a white roof, which has the licence plate ''A2TMFK''. Opinions on the meaning of this are varied:
*Throughout the early stages of the game, there are already signs of Big Smoke's betrayal. He has moved out of Grove Street into a [[Ballas]] territory, and in most of his missions, he is meeting with or killing rival gang members who are involved in the drug trade, and [[C.R.A.S.H.]] are usually at his house when Carl arrives. In the mission [[Drive Thru]], Smoke refuses to shoot at the Ballas car, and in [[Running Dog]], he says that he is picking up his cousin "Mary", when in fact he is actually going to collect weed of the [[Los Santos Vagos]].
:Some believe it to be an acronym for 'a two-timing motherfucker'', in reference to his betraying the Grove Street Families.
*His favorite radio station is [[Bounce FM]], as referenced by what is always first been heard when inside his car.
:Some believe it to be an acronym for 'a two-ton motherfucker', in reference to him being overweight.
*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 believe it to be a reference to the [[:wp:Cypress Hill|Cypress Hill]] song 'A to the Motherf*ckin K', which was released in [[1993]] (a year after GTA San Andreas).
*Smoke constantly quotes the Bible, hinting that he may be deeply religious.
*Big Smoke's favourite radio station is [[Bounce FM]].
*Strangely, like [[Ryder]], Smoke wears green even after he is revealed to betray the families, though this is because he still respected the GSF.
*The beta version of Big Smoke is shown wearing a white jersey and black trousers, with Smoke having a bald head, which can be seen on the statute of Smoke in the [[Big Smoke's Crack Palace|drug manufacturing factory]] in [[East Los Santos]].
*No matter how Smoke is killed, or how many times he is shot in the final mission, the cutscene that follows always shows Smoke with 2 bullets in his chest.
*Big Smoke quotes the Bible on many occasions, hinting that he may be deeply religious.
*Big Smoke, like Ryder, continues to wear green clothing after his betrayal of the [[Grove Street Families]] becomes common knowledge.
*Big Smoke is shown to have two bullets in his chest following the shoot-out during [[End of the Line]], regardless of how he is killed.
*Big Smoke makes multiple references to his desire to be remembered following his death.


==Mission appearances==
==Mission appearances==
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*[[Just Business]] <small>(Boss)</small>
*[[Just Business]] <small>(Boss)</small>
*[[Reuniting the Families]]
*[[Reuniting the Families]]
*[[The Green Sabre]] (betrayal)
*[[The Green Sabre]]
*[[End of the Line]] <small>(Killed)</small>
*[[End of the Line]] <small>(Killed)</small>


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</gallery>
</gallery>


{{GTA San Andreas Characters}}
{{Grove Street Families}}
{{Grove Street Families}}
<gallery widths="50">
</gallery>
[[Category:Characters|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Characters in GTA San Andreas|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Bosses|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Deceased Characters|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Gangsters|Harris, Melvin]]


[[de:Big Smoke]]
[[de:Big Smoke]]
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[[pl:Melvin Harris]]
[[pl:Melvin Harris]]
[[pt:Big Smoke]]
[[pt:Big Smoke]]
[[Category:Characters|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Characters in GTA San Andreas|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Bosses|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Deceased Characters|Harris, Melvin]]
[[Category:Gangsters|Harris, Melvin]]