Shawn Fonteno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shawn Fonteno
Fonteno in 2024
Born	Shawn Darnell Fonteno Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Solo Big Solo
Occupation	Actor rapper
Years active	1994–present
Known for	Portrayal of Franklin Clinton in Grand Theft Auto V
Children	1
Relatives	Young Maylay (cousin)

Shawn Darnell "Solo" Fonteno is an American actor and rapper. He is best known for playing Franklin Clinton in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V. Besides his role as Franklin Clinton, Fonteno has also acted in films like The Wash.

Early life and background

Shawn Fonteno was born and grew up in Watts, Los Angeles. He met his father for the first time when he was eight years old. Growing up, he faced many challenges. He decided to leave a difficult past behind to pursue a different path.

Career journey

Music career highlights

Shawn Fonteno's rapping career began under the name Solo. This was a nickname he used. In the early 1990s, Fonteno worked with several record companies. These included DJ Pooh's Lench Mob, Death Row Records, and Priority Records.

He was also a hype man for a music duo that included the rapper Kam. Solo appeared in music videos for Kam and DJ Pooh, such as "Whoop! Whoop!" and Kam's "Peace Treaty." A song called "Where I Come From" was listed as a collaboration between Kam & Solo.

Voice acting in Grand Theft Auto V

Fonteno provided the voice and performed the motion capture for the character Franklin Clinton. This was for the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V.

In 2021, Fonteno played Franklin Clinton again. He teamed up with Slink Johnson, who voiced Lamar Davis in the same game. They recreated a famous scene where Lamar playfully "roasts" Franklin. This original scene became very popular online. Many people made funny versions of it. Later that year, Fonteno and Johnson returned to their roles. They appeared in new content for Grand Theft Auto Online. This content also included a nod to their popular "roast" scene.

In 2022, Fonteno wrote a book called Game Changer: My Journey From the Streets to Your Video Game Console. The book shares his story. It talks about how he changed his life to become an actor.

Personal life and family

Shawn Fonteno has a daughter named Bria. He is also the cousin of voice actor and rapper Young Maylay. Young Maylay voiced Carl "CJ" Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Shawn Fonteno currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Filmography

Film roles

Video game roles

See also

In Spanish: Shawn Fonteno para niños