Ballas

The Ballas are a gang featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Basically, the Ballas are the main rival gang in the game, though not itself the main antagonists.

The Ballas are the Grove Street Families' primary enemy and have been around since 1975 In the beginning of the game they are the most powerful street gang in Los Santos. They are involved in drug dealing, prostitution, gang banging, arms dealing, vandalism, and the crack cocaine trade.

The Ballas are rivals with Grove Street Families going back for several years. When the rivalry started isn't known, but the rivalry between the two gangs was in full swing as early as 1987. They are also rivals to the Varrios Los Aztecas. They have ties with the San Fierro Rifa, and the Loco Syndicate for narcotics, and the Russian Mafia for weapons. The Ballas also collaborate with CRASH. In addition, Big Smoke defects against the GSF to lead the Ballas with his lieutenant Ryder. Unlike the GSF, the Ballas have no reservations about making money by selling drugs; the spread of crack cocaine into the Grove Street community is part of their strategy to wipe the GSF out.

By 1992, the Ballas controlled most of the streets of Los Santos, with Grove Street Families being driven back to Grove Street itself and a few surrounding neighborhoods. After Grove Street leader Sean "Sweet" Johnson was gunned down and arrested they briefly controlled the entirety of what had been Grove Street territory. The Ballas then cemented their control over the area by distributing crack cocaine through the area. However, following the release of Sweet from prison and the return of Carl Johnson, the Grove Street Families won back their territory. That same year the Crack Palace operated by Big Smoke is destroyed and Smoke is killed, causing the Ballas to lose a lot of influence on the streets and if the player chooses, can take over all of their territories in Los Santos,making Ballas gone for good, just like the Los Santos Vagos.