Claude as singer was a bad choice since the character is mute! Actually it was told later devs just ran out of time or cash to afford voice acting but at least for authenticity it was stated the character was mute what - taking the hole deal - is quite plausible and also makes much more sense. Because in the end even without the voice acting they could been able to give at least the idea he had something to say or very short responses. But absolutly nothing? More than weird. Especially since he is the main characters and alot of characters around him are veeeeeery chatty also with his short appearance in GTA San Andreas they kept that. In the end this explanation about runing out of ressources was quite questionable in many aspects. So yeah nevertheless - lore: guy is mute. It's just the only satisfactory justification. There is another reason given that players should be able to identify more with the main character - but even more lame and weird kind of an explanation. It isn't true that he is mute because he got shot in GTA 3 by Catalina because in chronological aspect his ealiest appearance is in GTA San Andreas (since the game plays in 1992) and here already, he doesn't talk and its even told that the guy is considered to be mute. And yes he also is the protagonist in GTA 2 (so the acctual first appearance in a game but the game itself plays in 2013 - even tho there is also an information that it is 1999 because a radio moderator is talking about the millennium (year 2000) is about to come - but most likely it was just a mistake and nobody noticed since the game came out in 1999 - nevertheless the game was back than set in a future timeline). GTA 3 in the end plays in 2001. In all of his appearances there is not a single word he says, not even a sound or anything what supports the assumption about him being completly mute and not just quiet or reserved.
Imagine this came out layer and played love is a long road by tom petty with the fact gta6s trailer had it Tho running down a dream is absolutely great also!
this song would unironically fit really well into the GTA universe. about slinging drugs and going with the flow, dream being a trip and the American Dream
