420th the Ballas street

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420th the Ballas street


History
The Ballas have been around since the 1970s[1] Specific information regarding where or how they formed is unknown. However, it is likely that the Ballas evolved either from Glen Park or Jefferson since Idlewood and possibly Willowfield were controlled by the Grove Street Families prior to 1987 and since East Los Santos was split between the Grove Street Families and the Vagos prior to 1992.

The Ballas have a history of a traditional, intense, and bloody rivalry with the Grove Street Families. Specifically when the gang war started is unknown, but the rivalry between the two gangs was in full swing as early as 1987.

Prior to 1992, the Ballas used to control the area of Temple - which is under control of the Temple Drive Families in 1992. This is evidenced by the fact that the game references a fourth Ballas set known as the "Temple Drive Ballas". Graffiti referring to the Temple Drive Ballas can also be found in Temple. However, the Temple Drive Ballas become active again after the Grove Street Families are weakened and took back their former territory of Temple from the Temple Drive Families.

During 1992, the Ballas attempted to assassinate Grove Street Families leader Sean Johnson ("Sweet") in an attempt to take over Grove Street territories. Using a green Sabre, the Ballas performed a drive-by shooting on the Johnson House. However, instead of killing Sweet, the Ballas instead killed his mother, Beverly.

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Events of GTA San Andreas
By 1992, the Ballas are the largest and most powerful street gang in Los Santos, and control most of the streets of Los Santos with the Grove Street Families being driven back to Grove Street itself and a few surrounding neighborhoods. The Ballas become major influential players in the crack-cocaine business in Los Santos and establish ties with the Loco Syndicate, Big Smoke, the Vagos, and the San Fierro Rifa for narcotics (especially cocaine). The Ballas also establish ties with the Russian Mafia for weapons. Despite their business relationship with the Vagos, they will still react with hostilities on the streets. It is possibly only the higher-ranking OG's of the Vagos and the Ballas are involved in the business relationship.

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The Ballas (in addition to Big Smoke) maintained a large influence over their Grove enemies by distributing crack cocaine into their territory to weaken them. However, upon the return of Carl Johnson, the Ballas and their drug influence slowly deteriorate and the Grove Street Families slowly gain back power and influence over them as the player progresses throughout the early missions.

The player is first introduced to the Ballas during the introduction, in which C.R.A.S.H. dumps CJ in Jefferson which is enemy gang territory since it belongs to the Rollin' Heights Ballas. The player must travel to Grove Street safely. Thereafter, CJ and Big Smoke meet up with Sweet and Ryder upon attending the funeral of Beverly Johnson. After the funeral ends, the Ballas attempt a drive-by shooting on the remaining OG's but are only successful at destroying Big Smoke's car. The remaining OG's successfully travel back to Grove Street on bike while avoiding the gun.


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One of the main strategies that the Ballas use against the GSF is the spread of crack-cocaine in GSF neighborhoods such as Ganton and Grove Street, Big Smoke is also partly responsible for this. The spread of crack into GSF territory is part of their strategy to wipe the Families out. Spreading the drug into their territory turns gang bangers and potential gang bangers into hopeless addicts while influencing the OG's with the money that can be made from the drugs - drawing them away from the Grove Families and gang banging, and more into selling/pushing (this is especially the case with ex-Grove OG B-Dup who is supplied with crack-cocaine from the Ballas).

The first loss that the Ballas experience (especially the Front Yard Ballas) is that one of their main crack houses in Idlewood is destroyed by CJ and Ryder for the Grove Street Families in an attempt to decrease the crack influence in their neighborhoods.

The Kilo Tray Ballas attempted a retaliation drive-by shooting as revenge for the destruction of the Front Yard Ballas' Idlewood crack house and the attack of the Balla dealers during the previous "Cleaning the Hood" mission. However, CJ, Sweet, Big Smoke, and Ryder catch them on the way to Grove Street from Willowfield as they were coming out of a drive thru at the local Cluckin' Bell restaurant. They are able to destroy the Ballas car and kill the Ballas during a shoot-out/car chase. Much to the dismay of the other OG's, Big Smoke plays no part in destroying the car and is more concerned with eating his food - providing one of the early in-game hints of Smoke's true relation with the Ballas.
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The Ballas eventually suffer a major loss (especially the Rollin' Heights Ballas and Kilo Tray Ballas) at the hands of a retaliation drive-by shooting from Sweet, Big Smoke, CJ, and Ryder during the mission Drive-By.

The Ballas eventually lose their dominant position and adopt a more equal position with the Grove Street Families when CJ is ordered by Sweet to take over Glen Park (Kilo Tray Ballas stronghold) for the Grove Street Families. Little Weasel (ex-GSF member and a high-ranking Ballas OG and drug dealer) is also killed by CJ.

In retaliation for the Glen Park gang war and the destruction of the Kilo Tray Ballas during the mission Doberman, the Ballas attempt their own gang war right on Grove Street. Fortunately, Sweet, CJ, and many other Grove members are able to defend their territory.

A Ballas weapons deal with the Russian Mafia at a Willowfield warehouse is then crashed and disrupted by CJ (who is tipped off by C.R.A.S.H.) CJ is able to kill the Russian Mafia shot-caller of the deal - which suggests a possible (but only temporary) end to the arms dealing relationship between the Ballas and the Russian Mafia.

Yet again, the Ballas suffer another loss when CJ, Sweet, and other Grove Street members engage with the Ballas in a large shoot-out at the Vinewood Cemetery during a Ballas funeral. In particular, many high-ranking OG's die at the funeral and the Front Yard Ballas suffer a major hit when a well-respected OG called Kane is killed at the cemetery.

After a gang war between the Ballas and Grove Street Families, Sweet is gunned down and arrested. CJ is forced to abandon his city of Los Santos, and is dumped in Angel Pine by C.R.A.S.H., while being told to stay away from Big Smoke and Grove Street. At this point, Big Smoke and Ryder have completely defected against the GSF and moved into the crack-cocaine trade full-time. This leaves the Grove Street Families with no leader or OG's, and many members either die during the gang war or are in hiding. The Ballas then control the entirety of what had been Grove Street territory - including Ganton and Grove Street itself, Santa Maria Beach, Temple and Playa Del Seville (in addition to re-capturing back Glen Park). The Ballas then cement their control over the area of Grove Street by distributing crack cocaine through the area again, which is further fueled by their drug/supply and protection relationship with Big Smoke's cocaine empire. The Ballas and the Vagos then control all the gang territories in Los Santos.

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During this stage of the game, the Ballas become the most powerful and dominant gang again, which they maintain throughout the rest of the game's middle story while building on their business relationships with Big Smoke's crack empire, the San Fierro Rifa, the Loco Syndicate, and the Russian Mafia. They are also hired by Big Smoke to provide protection in return for crack-cocaine and money (as are the Los Santos Vagos).

The Ballas make no major presence and have no more significance in relation to the game's story for the rest of the middle game chapters. However, the Ballas do make one minor appearance during one of the middle game missions. During Pier 69, CJ, Cesar Vialpando, and the San Fierro Triads ambush a drug deal between Ryder (on behalf of Big Smoke) and the Loco Syndicate in San Fierro. Ballas gangsters make a presence during this mission to provide protection for Ryder. CJ and Cesar are successful at disrupting the drug deal and Ryder is killed. For the rest of the middle part of the game, the Ballas make no more appearances until the "Return to Los Santos" missions/chapter is unlocked towards the end of the game.

Following the release of Sweet from prison (due to Mike Toreno's actions) and the return of CJ, the Grove Street Families win back their territory from the Ballas (specifically Ganton, Glen Park, and parts of Idlewood) during the missions Home Coming, Beat Down on B Dup, and Grove 4 Life and put an end to the remaining drug influence in Grove Street by killing the dealers. That same year, the Crack Palace operated by Big Smoke is destroyed and Smoke is killed in the final mission, End of the Line, causing the Ballas to lose a lot of drug influence on the streets. If the player chooses, they can take over all of their territories in Los Santos (as part of the gang war mini-game), completely wiping out the Ballas for

Approved, Happy Roleplaying