Temple Drive Ballas

'The Ballas' is the name of a group of loosely affiliated African-American gangs all over Los Santos. They are large in number and known to be dangerous. The Ballas have been around since the 1970s. Specific information regarding where or how they formed is unknown. However, it is likely that the Ballas evolved either from Glen Park or Jefferson since Idlewood and possibly Willowfield were controlled by the Grove Street Families prior to 1987 and since East Los Santos was split between the Grove Street Families and the Vagos prior to 1992.

The Ballas have a history of a traditional, intense, and bloody rivalry with the Grove Street Families. Specifically when the gang war started is unknown, but the rivalry between the two gangs was in full swing as early as 1987.

Unlike the aforementioned neighbourhoods, which can be found around the eastern part of Los Santos, Temple is a western district and located close to the commercial and leisure centre of the city. However, the presence of a large quantity of minorities and comparatively economically deprived neighbourhoods in the area meant that gang violence was going to be an issue in that part of town as well. Prior to 1992, the Ballas were the predominant gang in the Market and Temple area but since '92 it has become obvious that the Ballas have lost control over the housing projects and most of Temple proper to a Families set by the name of 'Temple Drive Families' and have been limited to the southern part of their territory; namely, the Market area.

Due to the unique geographic and socioeconomic environment that TDB developed in, it grew distant from the other Ballas sets in Los Santos and largely developed their own gang culture which prioritised their neighbourhood and fellow gang members over anybody else, whom they considered a 'foreigner' - even if they wore purple. The interaction with and limited understanding of bourgeois culture in Los Santos by the African American community of Temple led to the development of an ideology of racial supremacy based on notions of nobility and the feudal political structure, specifically the Temple Drive Ballas came to see themselves as 'nobles' and 'kings'. This ideology is clearly reflected in their slang terms and hierarchical structure which mirrors that of European and African aristocracy.

Nitmaros the Executioner

Shmurk the Swordsman
Gungoose the Great

None as of now

Peasants, 'peasant', or 'foreigner', is a derogatory term given to anyone who has not yet been initiated into the gang; from associates to enemies.