Madd Dogg is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. His album is also mentioned throughout Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
Madd Dogg was born and raised in Los Santos. Madd Dogg started rapping at a young age and got his big break when he performed at the Los Santos Forum in 1988. Jimmy Silverman witnessed the performance and signed Madd Dogg to Blastin' Fools Records. Alan Crawford, Madd Dogg's childhood friend became his manager and they both began working on his debut album.
Breakthrough (1989-1991)
Forgotten Legends of West Coast Rap (promotional website) explains that Madd Dogg first gained extreme popularity as a rapper, without any full albums, in the late 1980s. He quickly earned enough money to buy his mansion, pictured on his first two albums.
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In 1990, he released his debut album Hustlin' Like Gangstaz (a parody of Above The Law's Livin Like Hustlers, produced by Dr. Dre and featured on Radio Los Santos) and Still Madd (a parody of Ice-T's OG: Original Gangster, complete with a song "2:30 in the Afternoon" to parody "6 in the Morning").
During 1990, he also began a relationship with Rochell'le, a bubbly, innocent female singer and label-mate on Jimmy Silverman's Blastin' Fools Records. A rumor exists that he was her ghostwriter for some of the more rap-oriented songs she released.
Mainstream Status and Downfall (1991-1992)
In 1991, he released 24 Carat Dogg and also a hit song 'A Dogg's Bitch', a duet with his girlfriend Rochell'le. It appeared on her album Leg$.
At the beginning of GTA: San Andreas, Madd Dogg is still extremely popular, even having merchandise such as a clothing label Madd Tagg (the player can buy a Madd Tagg shirt for $30 at Victim). This may be a reference to Russell Simmons, who was the first person in hip-hop to have his own clothing line in 1992, called Phat Farm.
Madd Dogg begins to sink into depression after his rhyme book went missing and his manager was killed (both of which were done by Carl Johnson, ironically his future manager, in attempts to jump-start rival OG Loc's music career). Outside of these attacks, he also struggled with "alcoholism and egomania" (as told by Lianne Forget), drug abuse, massive financial debt, as well as breakups with Rochell'le and his rap group "Doggy Boyz".
Comeback and Retirement (1992-1994)
Later that year, he was forced to give his mansion to a Vagos drug lord, and was supposed to give a concert in Las Venturas before he went missing. When Carl Johnson discovers him, he had a room at the Royale Casino, and after he had gotten drunk and gambled away his fortune, threatens suicide before CJ saved him and sent him to rehab. Madd Dogg then hires CJ as his new manager, unaware that CJ ruined his career in the first place and rescued him out of remorse.
As his manager, CJ begins by taking back his mansion and directing Madd Dogg to record a new album. CJ also takes back the original rhyme book from OG Loc, and recruits his friends Ken Rosenberg to work as an accountant for Madd Dogg, and Kent Paul as his sound engineer. At the end of the game, possibly in early 1993, Forty Dogg is released and quickly achieves gold record status.
Forty Dogg songs:
"Madd Funk"
"Me and My Blunt"
"4 My Doggz"
"Alone with My Dogz"
"Doggz Need Luv"
"Madd N A Haze"
"Funkin' Forties"
In 1994, he released "the less-than-stellar" N.L.A.D.B. (Never Leave a Dog Behind), which would become his last album in the 3D Universe and direct him to retire [citation/verification needed]. Since his retirement, he has focused more on ghostwriting and producing for other artists. As of 1998 and 2003, his albums Still Madd and Forty Dogg were digitally remastered.
HD Universe
In the HD Universe timeline, in 2013, he released his long awaited sixth album, titled Tha Maddhouse.
In Grand Theft Auto V, Franklin Clinton has a Madd Dogg poster (in the style of Shepard Fairey's famous "Hope" poster of Barack Obama) hanging next to the wardrobe at his aunt's house. The poster is later seen framed on the wall of his Vinewood Hills home, alongside a concert poster and concert ticket stubs indicating he has performed live at the Vinewood Bowl on Tha Maddhouse tour.
Jimmy De Santa has CDs of Madd Dogg and OG Loc in his room underneath the TV in the enhanced versions.
Madd Dogg is one of the honoured celebrities on the Vinewood Walk of Fame.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Online
In Grand Theft Auto Online, on the arcade jukebox, the album jacket of Tha Maddhouse can be seen.
The Contract
“Saw Mr. Clinton up in his office talking with Madd Dogg earlier. I gotta say... Mr. Clinton looked kinda star-struck.”
- Agency Security Guard