A new batch of Grand Theft Auto 6 screenshots dropped Thursday, and South Florida gamers think they spotted a familiar face lurking in the game's fictional Vice City: Pompano Beach rapper Kodak Black. The image shows a character sporting the same face tattoos, signature haircut, and personalized jewelry fans associate with the 29-year-old artist, born Bill Kapri, whose music has long been a staple of South Florida's rap scene.
Rockstar Games released the new screenshots on Thursday, offering another look at Vice City and the surrounding fictional state of Leonida, according to Miami New Times. One image in particular caught fans' attention: a character bearing a bird tattoo between the eyebrows and a chain with an “1800” reference, details that line up closely with Kodak Black's real-life look. Complex described the same figure as appearing at the Jack of Hearts club, complete with the rapper's signature haircut and face tattoos, according to Complex.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, Kodak Black himself confirmed the feature in a social media video, and his attorney, Bradford Cohen, backed up the claim in a social media post of his own. Kodak Black is a Pompano Beach native, and the inclusion of a character resembling him in a game so heavily modeled on Miami and South Florida has resonated with local fans tracking the title's buildup.
Coverage Splits on Whether the Character Is Officially Confirmed
Not every outlet agrees on how official this all is. IGN reported flatly that Kodak Black has been confirmed to be featured as an NPC in GTA 6 via the new batch of screenshots, according to IGN. But the same report from Miami New Times that first detailed the tattoo and chain imagery also noted that Rockstar's announcement accompanying the gallery doesn't identify him or explain any potential role, meaning the character's identity remains technically unconfirmed by the studio itself. That outlet added there's also no basis yet to suggest he'll be playable, leaving his exact in-game function an open question.
Miami New Times also pointed out that Kodak's music could be heard in GTA VI's extended preview, adding another layer to his apparent connection to the game beyond the screenshot likeness. None of the reporting establishes whether that musical presence ties directly to the NPC spotted in Vice City or represents a separate piece of the soundtrack.
Vice City's Familiar Streets, Rebuilt for Leonida
The game itself has been in development for years, and its setting leans heavily on real South Florida geography reimagined for the fictional state of Leonida. Locations in the new screenshots include similarities to Miami Beach's Ocean Drive, Miami International Airport, and the Florida Everglades, giving longtime Miami residents plenty of recognizable backdrops to pick apart. Miami New Times also compared one in-game venue, the Vault, to Vice City's answer to Club Space, the real Miami nightclub known for its marathon sets.
If the apparent Kodak Black appearance holds up, it would follow a pattern Rockstar has leaned on before. In GTA Online, Dr. Dre appeared as a character who gave players missions, per IGN, and the game's nightclubs featured real DJs such as Solomun, Tale of Us, and Dixon. IGN noted that the apparent confirmation of Kodak Black seems to only add fuel to speculation that other real-world artists or celebrities could turn up somewhere in Leonida when Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives on November 19.
