How to Recruit Gang Members in GTA San Andreas

Look, running the streets of Los Santos isn't a one-man job. You can’t just roll up solo against Ballas, Vagos, and every random dude with a gun who has something to prove. No, you need a backup – a squad. Someone who’s got your back, which might be hard to get used to, but hey, that's just life.

So, here’s how to recruit gang members in GTA: San Andreas without looking like you have no idea about what you’re doing.

How to Recruit Gang Members in GTA San Andreas

Build Some Respect 

Want Harley Quinn-level ride-or-die? Well, you could, after you earn it. GTA doesn’t hand you followers just because you wear green. What is this? Colour racism?

No, You need Respect points, so here's what you need to do

How do you get Respect?

• Complete missions 

• Wipe out rival gangs. (Each kill = a tiny Respect boost, it's the hardest stat to increase after all)

• Own more territories.

• Work out and get Muscle. 

• Dress up (New clothes, tattoos, haircuts – it all adds up.)

If you think you can just walk up to Grove Street members without doing any of that, congratulations- you’re just a guy in green pants yelling at strangers.

Tip: Respect isn't just for recruiting; it also controls how big your squad can be:

• Low Respect? Only 2 guys will follow you.

• Build it up? You can roll 3, 4, or even 7 deep.

Big respect = Big army, No respect = You and maybe your mom cheering you on.

Find Your Homies

Not everyone in Los Santos wants to die for you. Shocker.

• Look for Grove Street gang members — they’re usually dressed in green (bandanas, jackets, hats).
• If they’re wearing purple? That’s the Ballas
• If they’re wearing yellow bandanas? That’s the Vagos.

They are rival gangs so If you accidentally try to recruit one of them, you’re either colorblind or suicidal.

Pro Tip: The more Grove Street territory you own, the easier it is to find them hanging around.

Make Them Join You

Literally. Walk up to a Grove Street member and press "G" on PC (or Up on console).
If they vibe with you, they'll start following you around like you're giving out free pizza.

You’ll hear CJ say something like, "You down with the Grove, homie?" with a few different variations but just like that - you've got your first soldier.

Control Your New Army

Cool, now you’ve got backup. Don’t just let them vibe aimlessly.

• Press G again to make them follow you.

• Press H to make them stay put (it's good for setting ambushes, pretending you’re tactical, or just need a second to think)

• Hop in a car and your squad will automatically pile in too, perfect for drive-bys.

 Remember: Respect still controls how many guys you can recruit:

Respect	Max members
1%	2 gang members
10%	3 gang members
20%	4 gang members
40%	5 gang members
60%	6 gang members
80%+	7 gang members

If you want a whole army behind you, you gotta hustle for it. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all

5. Don’t Get Them Killed in 5 Seconds

Nothing is more embarrassing than recruiting a squad just to watch them get bodied by one car explosion.

Basic survival rules:

• Take cover.

• Don't charge head-first into shotgun guys.

• Watch out for cars (the real MVPs of gang wars).

• Also, stop shooting your own guys. Friendly fire is real but if they die, you’ll be slapped with a direct -2%. Just because you’re hanging out with NPC’s doesn’t mean you can behave like one too

At the end of the day, recruiting gang members in GTA: San Andreas isn’t about pressing the right button. It’s about earning your street cred, being the kind of leader people want to follow, and not getting everyone killed before you even cross the next block.

Written by: Sarah Dar ( Writing intern, India Today Gaming)