Ryder (Grand Theft Auto)

Ryder is a high ranking member of the Grove Street Families who later joined forces with the Ballas, Los Santos Vagos and Russian Mafia.

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

Many 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 Kendl. Ryder was born in Los Santos, likely in Ganton due to his close relationship with Sweet and Carl Johnson, 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 Ballas colors, although Ryder claims this was because he was too intelligent for school.

He rose up the ranks of the gang until becoming one of Sweet's closest allies, being helped by the departure of Carl Johnson in1987 following his brothers death. 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 house where he convinces him to join his newly formed alliance with the Ballas. The alliance is later expanded to include the Los Santos Vagos and Russian Mafia, while another was established with the Loco Syndicate, who began supplying the new alliance with drugs from their base in San Fierro, although they do not realise that an undercover government agent is involved in the operation.

Ryder and Smoke also played a part in the murder of Beverly Johnson, the mother of Sweet and Carl, which was committed by the Ballas using a green Sabre, although they were aiming for Sweet.