Uptown Yardies

GANG Yardies Uptown Yardies Hillside Posse
File:Yardies Logo.jpg
Games:	GTA III GTA Advance GTA Liberty City Stories GTA IV The Lost and Damned The Ballad of Gay Tony GTA Chinatown Wars
Locations:	Newport, Staunton Island, Liberty City (1998 - ?); Schottler/Beechwood City, Broker, Liberty City
Leader:	King Courtney (GTA III-era) Real Badman (GTA IV-era)
Type:	Jamaican street gang
Enemies:	Forelli Family, Sindacco Family, Leone Family, Yakuza, Diablos (GTA III-era); Russian Mafia, The Lost Brotherhood, Triads (GTA IV-era)
Affiliations:	Leon McAffrey, Leone Family, Colombian Cartel (GTA III-era); Niko Bellic (GTA IV-era)
Colors:	Green, Yellow, Black
Vehicles:	Yardie Lobo (GTA III-era); Emperor, Vigero, Virgo, Black Comet, Jamaican Voodoo, Jamaican Huntley Sport (GTA IV-era)
Weapons:	Pistol, Baseball Bat (GTA III-era); Pistol, Shotgun, Micro Uzi (GTA IV-era)
Businesses:	Street racing, Car theft, Drug dealing, Arms dealing, Escort
Fronts:	Street Vending (GTA III-era); Homebrew Cafe (GTA IV-era)
Members:	Queen Lizzy, Busta Moves, Rudyard(GTA III-era); Little Jacob (GTA IV-era)

The Uptown Yardies are a Jamaican gang, led by King Courtney, which appear in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Description

GTA III Era

In 1998 they work with the Leone Family and corrupt LCPD officer Leon McAffrey, who owed them a favour, to gain contol of the Newport district of Staunton Island, Liberty City from the Forelli Family. Leone Family member Toni Cipriani then assists them in holding on to the district from a Sindacco Family assault, with Rudyard seriously injured during the fight. Once Leon McAffrey ceases to meet with Toni, the Yardies suddenly turn hostile towards Toni.

In 2000 Mike first becomes aware of King Courtney when Jonnie informs him that he owes Courtney money. When Jonnie is killed, Mike hunts down Courtney looking for revenge but is convinced to work for him, promising to find out who killed Vinnie. King Courtney has him prove himself in a race and then attack the Colombian Cartel, collecting their cans of coffee from three locations in the city. Courtney then sends Mike to kill Cartel leader Cisco, however Mike only kills his lieutenants. Mike is again sent to kill Cisco, but decides to form an alliance with him. Mike also discovers that the Yardies are sending bad fish to Asuka Kasen's restaurants, leading to numerous lawsuits. Mike later fights Courtney, who surrenders to Mike, who decides to spare him.

In 2001 King Courtney employs Claude, after he proves himself in a race. Courtney first has Claude kill a number of Diablos on their turf, Hepburn Heights, this after the Diablos had been 'dissing' Queen Lizzy. Then, Courtney has Claude collect a Mafia Sentinel, a Yakuza Stinger and a Diablo Stallion so that the Yardies can kill members of the Leone Family, Yakuza and Diablos without initially being noticed. Courtney then betrays Claude and allies himself with Cartel leader Catalina, having a number of suicide bombers attack Claude in a car park in Bedford Point. The Yardies then begin to sell SPANK, a Cartel manufactured drug, on the streets of Staunton Island.

Uptown Yardie members are seen with dreadlocks and in GTA III wear ex-army attire. However in GTA Liberty City Stories they are depicted wearing brightly coloured tank tops, with or without a yellow t-shirt worn inside, jeans and brown boots. Their use of Jamaican English and modern street slang with their heavy Jamaican accents make them relatively difficult to understand on occasions without the use of the game's subtitles.

The favourite radio station of the Yardies is K-JAH.

GTA IV Era

The Yardies, sometimes known unofficially as the Hillside Posse, operate out of the Schottler/Beechwood City area of Broker, Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV. They are based on the real life Jamaican Posse of New York City.

The gang is led by Real Badman, a respected Jamaican gangster, and they deal mostly in cannabis and firearms. They have a concentrated presence in a Dukes apartment complex, but they operate largely from the Homebrew Café in Beechwood City, Broker.

Jacob Hughes, the protégé of Badman, a prolific arms dealer and a good friend of Niko Bellic, is a notable member of this crew.

The gang frequently clashes with other drug dealers in Dukes and Broker, and employs hired guns like Niko Bellic to assist in these matters; additionally, Russian gangsters at one point attempted to intimidate Badman, hoping to absorb the Yardies’ operations; Badman responded by murdering the gang, with Niko's aid.

Yardies are Rastafarians; they speak Iyaric, frequently smoke marijuana, and wear their hair in dreadlocks. They can be seen wearing brightly colored suits or army fatigues, and some wear Rasta tams, which is a sign of rudeboys style. They are well-armed, most members carrying pistols, or occasionally a knife or baseball bat. Their cars are painted in the colors of the Jamaican flag: green, black, and gold. They can be found in the Beechwood City region, particularly the Homebrew Café, and have a presence in neighboring Schottler and Willis as well.

If Niko is engaged in a fist-fight outside the Homebrew Café, Yardies will aid him. The same goes when a gun is fired on the Schottler Medical Center.

In The Lost and Damned's gang wars side mission, the Yardies are one of the possible gangs you need to fight and kill.

In The Ballad of Gay Tony's drug wars side mission, the player will sometimes steal unnamed drugs (likely cannabis) from Yardies; however, Little Jacob or Real Badman are never seen in these drug wars.

The gang's favorite radio stations are Tuff Gong Radio, Massive B Soundsystem 96.9 and RamJam FM.

File:Jamaicans.jpg

Gallery

The Uptown Yardies in GTA III The Uptown Yardies in GTA III The gang's vehicle, Yardie Lobo, in GTA III The gang's vehicle, Yardie Lobo, in GTA III King Courtney, head of the Yardies, as depicted in GTA Advance. The Uptown Yardies in GTA Liberty City Stories The gang's vehicle in GTA Liberty City Stories

Gangs in the Grand Theft Auto series