Ryder (2024)

+"I'm too intelligent for this sh*t, man. I am the real deal fool! Oh yeah, a genius!"

― Ryder

Lance Wilsonalso know as Ryder was a character in the Grand Theft Autoseries who appears as a main character inGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was set in 1992.

Ryder is voiced by MC Eiht, a rapper and vocalist from the rap group CMW. He has appeared in films such as Menace II Society, and can be heard in Radio Los Santos with the song "Hood Took Me Under". His look is based off Eazy-E, a late rapper and vocalist of the rap group N.W.A., who was famous during the late eighties and early nineties. He died of AIDS complications in 1995.

Description[]

Ryder is a high-ranking member of the Grove Street Families

Ryder is a drugs user, something known by Sweet, Carl Johnson and Big Smoke, and can usually be seen with or searching for his 'water', which is in fact PCP. During the mission Home Invasionhe can seen frantically searching for it in his garden, having already dug numerous holes.

Many of the game's people also criticize Ryder about his height, calling him a midget because of his short stature. This can be heard by the Well Stacked Pizza Co.worker as well as Kendland Cesar.

Character history[]

Early Life[]

Ryder: "Hey, CJ, tell me why I didn't finish high school."

CJ: "Because you been dealing drugs, man, since the age of ten! (pauses, then laughs) Because you went and put hands on that teacher for wearing Ballascolors!"

―CJ recalling why Ryder was kicked out of school.

Ryder was born in Los Santos,likely in Gantondue to his very close relationship with Sweetand Carl Johnson (CJ), and he later became a member of the Grove Street Families

Ryder was once thrown out of school for beating up a teacher who was wearing Ballascolors, although Ryder simply claims he was too intelligent for school. It is also revealed that Ryder has been selling drugs since the age of 10.

He rose up the ranks of the gang until becoming one of Sweet's closest allies, being helped by the departure of Carl Johnsonin 1987following his lilte brother'sdeath. The Grove Street Families, however, began to lose influence, power and money to their arch rivals, the Ballas, due to their stance against the sale of drugs, which was fueling the Ballas rise to prominence.

Big Smoke attempted to convince Sweet about the benefits of selling drugs but failed, later meeting Ryder in his housewhere he convinces him to join his newly formed alliance but failed again. The alliance is later expanded to include the Los Santos Vagos and the Russian Mafiawhile another was established with the Loco Syndicatewho began supplying the new alliance with drugs from their base in San Fierro, although they do not realise that an undercover governerment agentis involved in the operation.

Events of GTA San Andreas[]

Carl Johnson's Return[]

Ryder: "Hey, man, what you want?"

CJ: "Seeing my homie. What's up with you?"

Ryder: "Yeah, homie, yeah yeah. It's good to see you back."

—Ryder and Carl, during "Ryder".

The death of his Moms brings her son, Carl Johnson, back to Los Santos from Liberty City.Johnson meets Ryder again shortly after his mother's funeralwhere they are attacked by a group of Ballas gangsters performing a drive-by shooting, destroying Smoke's vehicle.Carl, Sweet, Smoke and Ryder then use byciclesto flee the area. The four cycle to Mulholland Intersectionwhere Sweet breaks away from the group, drawing the Ballas vehicle, allowing Carl, Smoke and Ryder to escape. The three are briefly followed again by a Ballas car, a fact missed by the Johnson brothers. Smoke also refuses to shoot at a Ballas car performing a drive-by shooting,claiming he did not wish to waste the food they had just ordered.

Ryder begins to hire Carl to do various tasks, the first being to drive to The Well Stacked Pizza Co.fast food restaurant in Idlewood,where Ryder attempted to rob the storebut was thwarted by the manager, using a shotgunin self-defense. Ryder later assists Carl to Beat a drug dealerto Death and then a number of Ballas gangsters who were associated with the dealer in a home in Idlewood. Ryder also hires Carl to help him steal weaponsfrom the home of Colonel Fuhrbergerin East Beach, steal a weapons shipmentfrom a traincoming from Las Venturasand to steal weaponsfrom the National Guard Depotin Ocean Docks.

Ryder later accompanies Carl, Sweet and Smoke to the Cluckin' Bellfast food restaurant in Willowfield,where they see a group Ballas attempt a drive-by shooting. The four survive and destroy the Ballas car. Ryder is again seen when the four discuss the gang weaponsand later performs a number of drive-by shootings with the three in East Los Santosand Jefferson.He also attended a partythrown by OG Locin Grove Street.

Sweet later arranges a meetingat the Jefferson Motelbetween the various sub-sects of the Grove Street Families, in an attempt to bring the factions back together to fight the Ballas.

Ryder, upon arriving with Sweet, Carl and Smoke, criticizes the non-Grove Street gangsters, which Carl and Sweet do not realize is an attack on the gang rather than the sub-sects. Sweet enters the motel on his own and, when the Los Santos Police Departmentambush the meeting, Ryder and Smoke flee the scene in Sweet's Greenwood.The two, however, later re-appear at the side of the motel and drive away from the pursuing police, driving the car through a Sprunkbillboard. The car explodes upon landing on the road below while the four, who had bailed out of the car, Then decide to go back home on their own.