Melvin Harris (1965 - 1992), known as Big Smoke, was a senior member of the Grove Street Families.

Early in the storyline of the game, there were several telltale signs of Big Smoke's disloyalty to the gang. The clues indicates that he moved out of Grove Street to live in a new home in Idlewood - Ballas territory - and there is suspicion that he paid for the house with drug money, despite his insistence that it was money from his aunt. In addition, Big Smoke has, on occasion, showed little interest in defending or aiding the gang, as seen in one mission when the rest of the gang was shooting at a Ballas car that had attacked them; Smoke was in the back seat of Sweet's car eating fast food. In another mission, he talks with Sweet about their differing stances on street drugs; he appears to be trying to convince Sweet that drug dealing (with the money and power that come along with it) would be good for the Families. Big Smoke would also been seen dragging himself into conflict with other non-native gangs, including the Russian Mafia and the San Fierro Rifa. Furthermore, Frank Tenpenny and his clique show up at Big Smoke's house during the beginning of several missions, suggesting familiarity, although Big Smoke claims each time that they are attempting to extract information from him.

His true nature was revealed when he turned his back from the gang, having been seen along with Ryder collaborating with the Ballas and C.R.A.S.H., and appeared to be linked, along with Ryder, to the killing of Carl's mother (the actual target originally being Sweet). With the prospect of power, money and fame in the drug business too great for Big Smoke to resist as he goes on to establish a drug cartel with the Loco Syndicate in San Fierro with the help of the Ballas, transporting the merchandise and money between Los Santos and San Fierro, as well as running several drug manufacturing factories in both San Fierro and Los Santos (the former destroyed by Carl during his stay in San Fierro). It is also revealed during certain WCTR news broadcasts that he becomes OG Loc's manager and that he tries to be a "philanthropic" man by helping the defavorized streets and cleaning them from drugs, which is an obvious bald-faced lie.

In the final mission of the game, Carl enters Big Smoke's Crack Fortress (and home) in Los Santos, amid a citywide riot, to confront Big Smoke, and ends up killing him. As Big Smoke lies dying on the floor, he at first admits feelings of guilt to CJ, saying he "got addicted to the money, the power...", but that he can't help his own greedy nature, saying "I just see the opportunity...", and finally proclaims that though he is gone, his name will stay in history forever and utters his last words before dying: "When I'm gone, everyone gonna remember my name...BIG SMOKE!". CJ feels sorrow for the decline of Big Smoke's values, uttering very silently to himself "Damn, man... what a waste...”

In The Introduction, Smoke unsuccessfully tries to convince Sweet to have the Grove Street Families sell drugs, saying that the Ballas have gotten rich and powerful due to drug sales, while the Grove Street Families have lost power. Smoke, however, easily convinces Ryder to his side during a private meeting between the two. It is also evident that Tenpenny had a large hand in Smoke turning traitor, apparently tempting Smoke with chances of money and power, and possibly even threatening him.