Carl "CJ" Johnson (born 27 April 1967) is a fictional character in the Grand Theft Auto video game series, serving as the protagonist, anti-hero/hero and player-controlled character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He was voiced by Young Maylay.

CJ is a member of the "Grove Street Families" (GSF), along with his brother, Sean "Sweet" Johnson. Sweet suggested that CJ was born in the Johnson House, a two floor home in Grove Street, a cul-de-sac in Ganton, Los Santos, which was owned by the Johnson family matriarch, Beverly Johnson. Following her death, Carl uses it as his first private residence. Carl is the second child of Beverly Johnson. Her four children in birth order are Sean, Carl, Kendl, and Brian.[1]

He is seen mugging a passerby in the street and then hijacking a car.[2] Early in the game, Carl aids Sweet and the rest of the senior members in reviving the GSF by ridding parts of the neighborhood of crack dealersregaining lost gang territory. This revival ends, however, after Carl learns that his friends RyderRyder and Big Smoke, senior GSF members, have betrayed the gang. As CJ discovers the betrayal, Sweet is ambushed by rival Los Santos Vagos, are able to take over all of Los Santos.
[edit] Exile and subsequent return to Los Santos

After a brief stay in the Badlands, Carl and his remaining associates (his sister Kendl, Cesar and hippie The Truth) head north for San Fierro, where they establish a vehicle chop shop and dealership. CJ also works for the local San Fierro Triads and infiltrates and destroys San Andreas' largest drug cartel, the Loco Syndicate. After Carl, Cesar, and a number of Triad members ambush a meeting between Ryder, who is representing Big Smoke, and the Loco Syndicate, Carl gains revenge on his former friend by killing him.

After gaining access to Las Venturas and the surrounding desert area, CJ goes to work for undercover government agent Mike Toreno. To top by eliminating the competition. CJ saves rapper Madd Dogg's life by interrupting his Eddie Pulaski and, after completing another mission for Toreno, is rewarded with Sweet's early release from prison.

CJ wants Sweet to join him in building Los Santos, Carl has left gangbanging and the hood behind in favor of larger business ventures and more lavish accomml over the streets, and reestablish the Grove Street Families as a force in Los Santos. CJ is initially reluctant to return to the life he left behind, but Sweet eventually convinces him to go along with the plan.

With Carl and Sweet's work underway, Frank Tenpenny is finally put on trial for numerous felonies, but the charges are dropped for lack of evidence because all the witnesses who could have testified against him are either missing or dead. Most of the jobs Tenpenny forces CJ to do throughout the game involve killing or discrediting people involved in the case against him. Following the news of Tenpenny's discharge, Los Santos erupts into a massive, city-wide riot. In the chaos, CJ finally confronts and kills Big Smoke in his crack palace and then pursues Tenpenny, who is fatally wounded when he crashes in front of the Johnson House. CJ prepares to shoot Tenpenny with his Desert Eagle, but Sweet, concerned with leaving evidence when Tenpenny would simply die from his injuries, stops him. Tenpenny's death wraps up all the loose ends in Carl's life. The riot then breaks up.

At the conclusion of the game, Madd Dogg visits the Johnson house and announces that he's received a gold record for his new album, 40 dogg. Everyone inside discusses how they must now shift their focus to maintaining the gang and their business ventures and otherwise keep a low profile. CJ then gets up and leaves the house. Kendl then asks where he's going, and he says, "Fittin' to hit the block, see what's happening," and the game's main storyline ends.

CJ is portrayed as being highly successful at the end of the game. He has executed a major heist, holds a partnership in a Las Venturas casino, manages a successful rapper, owns businesses and real estate throughout San Andreas, has a pilot's license, and is a leading member of one of Los Santos' most powerful gangs. He is the most successful protagonist in the series' history.
[edit] Character customization

Unlike the principal characters of other Grand Theft Auto games, CJ's appearance is highly customizable, as the player can purchase hair cuts, tattoos and clothing for him. Certain clothes, tattoos and hairstyles improve CJ's standing with his fellow gang members as well as his sex appeal to his selective girlfriends. Changing of clothes, hair and tattoos can also negate a current wanted level.

Cars driven by CJ can also be modified externally and internally. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, paint job, and choice of accessories, the player may find their sex appeal greatly heightened upon exiting the car.

As CJ rides bikes, drives cars and motorcycles, and flies aircraft, his skill will improve in each. This allows players to roll backwards on bikes without falling, handle cars better, bunny hop higher etc.

The player may also have CJ build up his muscle by working out at a gym or by the "gym" in Verona beach. Doing so improves physical strength, affecting damage done in hand-to-hand combat against adversaries, as well as durability against damage, and sex appeal. There is also the option of exercising on treadmills or exercise-bikes in order to increase stamina. While having no physical effect, this allows CJ to sprint and power-swim (front crawl) for longer distances. Besides the street-style of fighting CJ starts off with, there are also 3 additional types of fighting style which can be learned in the gyms in each of the three cities in game: boxing from Los Santos, taekwondo from San Fierro, and Muay Thai from Las Venturas. However, the opposite also holds true; if the player does not exercise CJ regularly, he will gain weight and his stats will decrease.

Another key ingredient in San Andreas is respect, the idea of which was previously explored in Grand Theft Auto 2. The player earns respect through various actions such as killing police or rival gangs, and finishing missions. On the other hand, killing fellow gang mates would decrease respect. As more respect is earned, the player is able to recruit Grove Street gang members, up to a maximum of 7 at one time.

The player may also collect horseshoes in Las Venturas to improve luck, and oysters statewide to improve sex appeal. Relationships with the player's selective girlfriends may also be improved through dating (depending on whether the date is successful or not). Before dating, the player may present their girlfriend with a gift of either flowers or a sex toy,
which may also be used as melee weapons.