The line comes from Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, released in 2004, where protagonist Carl Johnson, known as CJ, says it near the start of the game as trouble finds him again on returning to Los Santos. Clipped from that opening, it spread through YouTube edits, Twitch streams and TikTok as a shorthand for deja vu and unwanted repetition. Because the delivery is instantly recognisable and the situation it describes is universal, creators still use it to introduce a second attempt, a recurring problem, or a story that is clearly about to go wrong again.
About this sound
The iconic GTA San Andreas line Ah shit, here we go again, spoken by CJ, used in memes and videos when the same frustrating situation starts all over.
This short clip captures Carl Johnson sighing the weary line Ah shit, here we go again in a low, resigned voice, as if he already knows how badly the next few minutes are going to go. The delivery is flat and tired rather than angry, with a brief pause before the final words that makes the frustration land even harder. It instantly tells a viewer that a familiar problem has returned, a plan has fallen apart, or someone is about to repeat a mistake they should have learned from. That mix of exhaustion and reluctant acceptance is why it works so well as a reaction.
