8-Ball is a main character in Grand Theft Auto III (set in 2001), the tritagonist of Grand Theft Auto Advance (set in 2000), and a supporting character in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (set in 1998).
He is voiced by the late American rapper Keith "Guru" Elam in both Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
History[]
Background[]
8-Ball is an explosives expert and firearms trader, owning explosives garages in Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas.
He was born and raised in Liberty City. His father was a hustler who often played pool, hence his nickname. By 1984, he started his business across the United States, including in Vice City (initially in Downtown and later in Viceport), in San Andreas (in El Corona, Los Santos) and in Liberty City (in Harwood, Newport and Pike Creek).
Events of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
By 1998, 8-Ball had established contacts with various people in Liberty City, including businessman Donald Love, who sent Toni Cipriani to 8-Ball at his Pike Creek garage to fill a van full of explosives to be used to destroy the Fort Staunton district of Staunton Island.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Advance[]
In 2000, he helps old friend Vinnie by creating fake IDs that Mike collected. Mike returns to 8-Ball following the death of Vinnie and agrees to work for him whilst 8-Ball investigates Vinnie's death, saying he has some ideas of who was responsible. 8-Ball first has Mike dispose of Vinnie's body at the Harwood Autocrusher and Junkyard, as "they don't ask questions". Following this, Mike helps to pimp out three women (including Misty) to "high-rolling" clients, deliver a package to an angry customer, and extract revenge on Scorelli for 8-Ball. 8-Ball, with information from one of the prostitutes, sends Mike to meet a bartender, Jonnie. 8-Ball later meets Mike again in a diner, but the two are ambushed by the Colombian Cartel, who are looking to kill Mike following the death of leader Cisco. 8-Ball badly burns his hands during the ambush and is unable to escape, telling Mike to do so before the police arrive.
Events of Grand Theft Auto III[]
After changing out of their orange prison uniforms, 8-Ball has Claude drive him to Luigi's Sex Club 7 and introduces him to Luigi Goterelli, an old friend and an associate of the Leone Crime Family, who begins to employ him. Salvatore Leone, the don of the Leone Family, later sends Claude to 8-Ball and the two later destroy a freighter at Portland Harbor, which was being used by the Colombian Cartel to manufacture the drug SPANK. Following this, 8-Ball makes no further appearances in the game.
Mission Appearances[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- Introduction
- Give Me Liberty (Boss)
- Luigi's Girls
- Bomb Da Base: Act II (Boss)
Grand Theft Auto Advance[]
- Fake IDs
- Getaway
- Twisted Metal (Boss)
- Ill Repute (Boss)
- Droppin' Bombs (Boss)
- Scorelli (Boss)
- Love Boat (Boss)
- Love of Money (Boss/Arrested)
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
- No Money, Mo' Problems (Boss)
- Cash in Kazuki's Chips (Post-mission phone call, only if No Money, Mo' Problems has been completed)
- Bringing the House Down (Boss)
Gallery[]
Artworks[]
In-Game[]
Trivia[]
- 8-Ball is one of the many characters to appear in three games in the 3D Universe. The other characters are Donald Love, Maria Latore, Adam First, Toni and Salvatore Leone.
- Storyline mission-wise, 8-Ball is the first character encountered in the 3D Universe.
- 8-Ball, (along with Luigi Goterelli, Maria Latore, Joey Leone, Salvatore Leone and Toni Cipriani, in that order) appears on posters for the film Badfellas in Grand Theft Auto III, which is a clear reference to the film Goodfellas.
- 8-Ball's real name was going to be Mullan, as shown on alpha screenshots.[1]
- On the artwork of 8-Ball's prison jumpsuit, it has his I.D Number which reads "010012". These numbers are also the last 6 numbers of the 8-Ball Autos phone number. "10012" is also the zip code of Rockstar Games in New York City.
- 8-Ball shares his nickname with another Rockstar Games character: 8 Ball from The Warriors.
- The Guru also had a few songs featured in various games as part of Gang Starr, the first being "B.Y.S" on the radio station Playback FM in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and "Who's Gonna Take The Weight?" on The Classics 104.1 in Grand Theft Auto IV.
- 8-Ball is mentioned in the song "Life is But a Mere Supply" by Dezma, a song heard on Head Radio.
References[]
See Also[]
- Liberty Tree/Another Punch in the Gut for Organized Crime – Liberty Tree article about 8-Ball's conviction.