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GTA: San Andreas
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GTA San Andreas · Characters
Carl "CJ" Johnson: The Hero of GTA San Andreas
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Carl Johnson, known as CJ, is the hero of GTA San Andreas (2004). He comes home to Los Santos in 1992 to bury his mother and ends up crossing the whole state, from Grove Street to the casinos of Las Venturas. Young Maylay, who had never acted in a game before, gives him his voice.
Why CJ Comes Home
CJ is the younger brother of Sean "Sweet" Johnson and the brother of Kendl. After their brother Brian died in 1987, he left for Liberty City and stole cars there for Joey Leone. Five years later, a phone call brings him back: his mother Beverly has been killed in a drive-by. Within minutes of landing, Officer Tenpenny's unit robs him and drops him in Ballas territory, and CJ sighs the line every player knows: "Ah shit, here we go again."
Sweet blames him for leaving, the gang has lost its streets, and the first act is about earning his place back with Sweet, Big Smoke and Ryder.
From Grove Street to Las Venturas
The story follows CJ across the map. In Los Santos he wins back Grove Street until The Green Sabre reveals the betrayal and Sweet is arrested. Exiled to the countryside by Tenpenny, he meets Catalina and The Truth, then Cesar and Kendl. In San Fierro he runs a garage in Doherty, teams up with Wu Zi Mu and takes apart the Loco Syndicate.
In the desert and Las Venturas he works for the government agent Mike Toreno, takes over the Verdant Meadows airstrip and robs Caligula's casino with Woozie's crew. Back in Los Santos, he wins Madd Dogg's mansion, gets Sweet out of prison and survives the riot before the last mission, End of the Line.
What Makes CJ Different
CJ shows more doubt, loyalty and remorse than the heroes before him. He cares about his family and his street, and he grows into a businessman as the game goes on. He is also the most customisable hero in the series: he gains or loses weight, builds muscle, and changes haircut, tattoos and clothes, and the people of San Andreas react to how he looks.
His voice came by chance. Rockstar heard Young Maylay on a speakerphone call with DJ Pooh, who co-wrote the game, and asked him to audition. His cousin Shawn Fonteno later voiced Franklin in GTA V.
CJ's Legacy
"Ah shit, here we go again" became one of the internet's most used memes years after release, and Rockstar itself played on it before the Definitive Edition came out in 2021. GTA V nods to him in the mission Derailed, where a gold medal objective is called Better than CJ, and GTA IV has graffiti honouring the earlier heroes. In court, a singer who claimed CJ was based on him lost his case against Take-Two in 2011, and again on appeal in 2012.
CJ at a Glance
| Detail | Carl Johnson |
|---|---|
| Nickname | CJ |
| Voiced by | Young Maylay |
| Family | Sweet and Kendl; mother Beverly; brother Brian (died 1987) |
| Back in Los Santos | 1992 |
| Fate | Survives: Grove Street is his, he manages Madd Dogg and owns the San Fierro garage |
Sweet, Kendl and every other character are on our San Andreas characters page, and every mission on the missions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does CJ come back to Los Santos?
For his mother Beverly's funeral, after she is killed in a drive-by in 1992.
Who voices CJ?
Young Maylay. His cousin Shawn Fonteno voices Franklin in GTA V.
Does CJ die in GTA San Andreas?
No. He survives, controls Grove Street, manages Madd Dogg and keeps his garage in San Fierro.
Where does "Ah shit, here we go again" come from?
From CJ in the first mission, In the Beginning, when C.R.A.S.H. drops him in Ballas territory.
Who are CJ's brother and sister?
Sweet and Kendl. A second brother, Brian, died in 1987.