8-Ball is a character in Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character in Grand Theft Auto III (set in 2001), Grand Theft Auto Advance (set in 2000), and a supporting character in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (set in 1998). He is an explosives expert and firearms trader, owning explosives garages in Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas. In GTA III and Liberty City Stories, he is voiced by the late American rapper Keith "The Guru" Elam.
Biography
Life until 2000
8-Ball was born in 1971 and was raised in Liberty City and by 1984 had 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). He 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.
2000
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 bar tender, 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 burns his hands during the ambush and is unable to escape, telling Mike to do so before the police arrive.
2001
8-Ball is arrested and convicted on eighty-five counts of owning a firearm without a license, although in a Liberty Tree article, it is stated that 8-Ball was arrested at his home/garage in Harwood and that a police officer poured a pan of boiling fat onto his hands. After being convicted a decision is made to transfer him, along with bank robber Claude and the Old Oriental Gentleman to the police station in Portland View. The police convoy, however, is attacked by the Colombian Cartel, who successfully kidnap the Old Oriental Gentleman. In the confusion, 8-Ball and Claude work together to escape and get far enough away to not be injured when a bomb, planted by the Cartel, destroys the Callahan Bridge. The two then escape to a hideout in the Red Light District.
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 member of the Leone 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. 8-Ball is not seen again after this though under orders from Salvatore Leone, he planted a bomb in a car designed to kill Claude, who only survived due to the Don's wife, Maria.
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.
- An authentic production artwork of 8-Ball has the name Mullan, A.K.A. 8-Ball written besides his image, suggesting his name may have been Mullan in development. This name was never used in any GTA game.
- 8-Ball Autos is also used in the missions Mike Lips Last Lunch, Kanbu Bust-out (both in GTA III) and Shogun Showdown (in GTA Liberty City Stories).
- 8-Ball has a slight resemblance to a GTA Vice City Stories protagonist Victor Vance.
- Storyline mission-wise, 8-Ball is the first character encountered in the GTA III Era.
- 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 GTA III, which is a clear reference to the film Goodfellas.
- In GTA Liberty City Stories, he and Ma Cipriani are the only mission bosses not to appear outside of the cutscenes
- 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's Bomb Shop phone number. Also, if you remove the "0" from the start to make it "10012," you will find the zip code for the location of the Rockstar studios in New York.
- As mentioned, 8-Ball was voiced by the late MC Guru, who together with DJ Premier -- host of The Classics 104.1 -- formed the legendary rap duo Gang Starr.
- In a Beta screenshot of the game, it appears that 8-Ball was Caucasian.
- 8-Ball and Salvatore Leone are the only 3D Universe characters to give missions to three protagonists. 8-Ball gives the most missions in GTA Advance, and gives two missions to Claude and Toni Cipriani.
Mission Appearances
- GTA III
- Introduction
- Give Me Liberty (Boss)
- Luigi's Girls
- Bomb Da Base Act I
- Bomb Da Base Act II (Boss)
- Last Requests (possible betrayal)
- GTA Advance
- Fake IDs
- Getaway
- Twisted Metal (Boss)
- Ill Repute (Boss)
- Droppin' Bombs (Boss)
- Scorelli (Boss)
- Love Boat (Boss)
- Love of Money (Boss/Arrested)
- GTA Liberty City Stories
- No Money, Mo' Problems (Boss)
- Bringing the House Down (Boss)
Gallery
See also
- Another Punch in the Gut for Organized Crime - Liberty Tree article about 8-Ball's conviction.