Bob Suicide’s Tribute To Lola

WARNING: HOT GIRL WITH LOLLIPOP!
PROCEED WITH GREAT CAUTION

Back in 2008 one of the Suicide Girls made a special appearance as, probably the most famous video game prostitute to this day, Lola Del Rio. Lola was used by Rockstar Games as a driving force for their advertisement campaign. She seemed to appear everywhere, but the actual game itself.

Been a big video games fan as she is, Bob decided to combine fun with sexy and paid tribute to one of the hottest and mysterious GTA IV characters.

Two years later we can finally show you the best bits from that stunning photo-shoot. But after checking Bob's "killer" curves (somehow it doesn't sounds right, even though she IS a girl) the wait was well worth it. :P










Source: suicidegirls.com

GTA 4 Lola Del Rio Cosplay

An American experimental photographer Kristen Lanae is not a newbiew to cosplay. Her gallery is full of outstanding characters from movies and video games, but Kristen's replication of Lola is pure sex. I mean the girl is unbelievably stunning and talented, which is rare.

Any gamers, especially GTA fans might recognize this, it's a character and prostitute from GTA 4 named Lola. :)

I did a lot of painting / air brushing on the skin to get a more cartoonish / fake feel. I actually had to re-do this shoot twice to get it right, and I'm pretty happy with it all except my damn hair, it just wasn't cooperating. Well ... hope ya like!

Also, as you can see she only has five fingers, not six as the original.
Source: xxprettywhenucry.deviantart.com

Whole Lola Del Rio

A deviantART newcomer, gtauto, may just made dream come true for many Grand Theft Auto fans. The photo manipulator recreated the missing bottom half of Lola Del Rio's artwork. Now everyone can enjoy her previously unseen "sweet spot" in both natural and shaved form.

Possibly that's the reason nobody could find her anywhere in Liberty City. She was simply busy preparing her "Terracotta Pie".

In total there are 5 pieces in the 'Whole Lola' series: Whole Lola, Lola Unshaved, Lola Shaving, Lola in Purple and Lola Shaved.

Two photos and drawing were used to reconstruct Lola's missed body. Made in Photoshop CS5. Everything above hips was created by Rockstar.

There's also a close up of Lola's half shaved "Taco Bell". :)

Source: gtauto.deviantart.com

The Simpsons Of Gay Tony

It was only a matter of time before Grand Theft Auto would meet The Simpsons. The fusion of one of the most popular video game series with one of the most recognisable animated television series was well overdue. And what a better way to do it than in a form of ten amazing wallpapers themed around Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony. It all become a reality thanks to yet another deviantArt wonder, a very talented Simpsons style caricaturist Nattalia Alonso (SimpsonsCameos).

The artist also made a short video commercial to generate more interest in downloading theses wallpapers.



Click here to download wallpapers pack.

Source: simpsonscameos.deviantart.com

Patrick Brown at it again!

Just some recent, if a couple of years can be considered recent, GTA artworks from famous Patrick Brown. The first two are actually ID pictures Patrick used at his deviantArt profile. As you can see he went with GTA IV's Weazel News theme for both of them. Very original if you ask me.

An interesting fact is that backgrounds for both IDs are actually screenshots from the game (GTA IV and Ballad of Gay Tony), but with some Photoshop magic added to them.



Next on our list is a scene from GTA IV: Ballad of Gay Tony. It took Patrick around 20 hours to finish it and while doing it he learned few new tricks.

Meet Luis 'Fernando' Lopez the bodyguard to the nightclub manager Tony "Gay Tony" Prince who is shitting him self in the passenger seat... This scene is actually exactly the same as in Liberty City, it's just up the road from the "Comedy Club".

The last piece is a tribute to GTA IV. Mr P. admitted that it took a lot of work and time to draw and colour almost 30 characters, but it looks like all that hard work paid off.

After playing through GTA IV again I really just felt like doing something HUGE on it. So I decided to make this "tribute" to the game, something that showed almost all the characters of GTA IV and some of the highlights of missions.

Source: patrickbrown.deviantart.com

Episodes From Liberty City

Rockstar Games announced that they will be releasing Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City. The pack includes both The Lost and Damned, and The Ballad of Gay Tony together on disc exclusively for Xbox 360. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City will be available worldwide October 29th 2009 for $39.99 and will not require a copy of the original Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

Rockstar Games is proud to announce the fall release of both the second episode of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony - exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network, and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which will include both episode one The Lost and Damned, and episode two The Ballad of Gay Tony together on a single disc exclusively for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Grand Theft Auto IV's second downloadable episode, The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime. As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony"), players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City delivers two games on one disc - the all-new episode The Ballad of Gay Tony and the first episode, The Lost and Damned - together on disc for the first time - for Xbox 360 for $39.99 and will not require a copy of the original Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

Source: rockstargames.com/episodesfromlibertycity

The Ballad Of Gay Tony

Liberty City is about to get a little more fabulous. Rockstar Games has announced The Ballad of Gay Tony, the second episode for Grand Theft Auto IV. This episode's focus on high-end night life contrasts with the biker gangs portrayed in The Lost and Damned, whilst giving us a lot of new gameplay possibilities.

The Ballad of Gay Tony stars Luis Lopez, a "part-time hoodlum" and "full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince," better known as "Gay Tony." As usual, he'll have to juggle competing loyalties while also trying to determine who is "real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price."

Rockstar Games is proud to announce the fall release of both the second episode of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony - exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network, and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which will include both episode one The Lost and Damned, and episode two The Ballad of Gay Tony together on a single disc exclusively for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Grand Theft Auto IV's second downloadable episode, The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime. As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony"), players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City delivers two games on one disc - the all-new episode The Ballad of Gay Tony and the first episode, The Lost and Damned - together on disc for the first time - for Xbox 360 for $39.99 and will not require a copy of the original Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

The Ballad of Gay Tony will release on Xbox LIVE this fall for $19.99 or 1600 MS points and requires players to have Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE membership to download.

Source: 1up.com, rockstargames.com/theballadofgaytony

GTA IV Sweepstakes Winner

About one year ago prior to the release of GTA IV last April, Rockstar Games Social Club website was launched and Grand Theft Auto IV Custom Portrait Sweepstakes was one of the very first competitions to be announced.

The potential winner(s) will be determined in a random drawing on or about 5/5/2008 from among all eligible entries received. The drawing will be conducted by Sponsor. Sponsor's decisions are final and binding. The potential winners will be selected at random from among all valid entries received. Potential winners will be notified by email on or about 5/7/2008.

One Grand Prize Winner will have their portrait illustrated by Rockstar Games in the Grand Theft Auto style. The winner will receive a digital copy of the portrait and a cropped version of the image will be used as the avatar for the winner’s Social Club membership. Winner will be required to prepare and submit a series of reference photographs upon which the portrait will be based. The winner’s reference photos will become property of Rockstar Games and may be used to publicize the Sweepstakes.

Some of you might have forgotten about it, but people at Rockstar Games Social Club didn’t. In fact one year later they actually came up with the winner.

Congratulations to Louis Bojko of Devon, England - our winner of the Grand Theft Auto IV Custom Portrait Sweepstakes. All early adopters of the Rockstar Games Social Club who registered accounts prior to the release of Grand Theft Auto IV last April were entered in this once-in-a-lifetime prize for true GTA fans: to have their likeness custom drawn by the same illustrators at Rockstar Games responsible for all of Grand Theft Auto's iconic character art. Louis received the final illustration digitally, as an exclusive avatar for use at the Social Club, as well as on canvas in a striking 34 by 44" print.

Source: socialclub.rockstargames.com

Lost And Damned Website

Rockstar Games has launched the official website for GTA IV: The Lost and Damned. The website now has two new mini-trailers ("Billy Grey" and "Malc"), over 30 new screenshots, a detailed character and game description, a list of exclusive features and an official box art.

Game Information

Johnny is a veteran member of The Lost, a notorious biker gang. Johnny has been creating business opportunities for The Lost in Liberty City, but his first loyalty must be to the patch he wears on his back and to Billy Grey, the club's President. However, when Billy returns from rehab hell-bent on bloodshed and debauchery, Johnny finds himself in the middle of a vicious turf war with rival gangs for control of a city torn apart by violence and corruption. Can the brotherhood survive?

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned features a new main character, Johnny Klebitz, and plot that intersects with the storyline of Grand Theft Auto IV; new missions that offer an entirely fresh way to explore Liberty City with new multiplayer modes, weapons and vehicles; and a diverse soundtrack with additional music — all with the incredible production values that are the trademarks of Grand Theft Auto.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned is the highly-anticipated first episode of Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content for Xbox 360 and will be available exclusively on Xbox LIVE on February 17th, 2009 worldwide.

Exclusive Features

All-new missions and a new storyline that interweaves with the original story arc of Grand Theft Auto IV.

Play as Johnny, a member of The Lost Motorcycle Club. Experience Liberty City now with the perspective and lifestyle of a member of a biker gang.

Added range of weapons - including the all-new grenade launcher and sawed-off shotgun. New weapons will be available for use in single-player and in all new multiplayer modes.

New vehicles - featuring a collection of bikes that include Johnny's own customized heavy-duty chopper.

New and improved bike handling and physics.

Set of new action-packed multiplayer modes - details coming soon.

All-new in-game TV, internet and radio content featuring new radio shows and original music.

Plus new side-missions and Xbox 360 Achievements...

How To Buy

Starting February 17th, 2009, simply go to Xbox LIVE Marketplace with your connected Xbox 360 console and purchase the Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned download for either $19.99 or 1600 Microsoft Points.

Note that to play Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned requires a copy of the original Grand Theft Auto IV release for Xbox 360 - but you can play it even if you haven't finished Niko's story.

If you haven't registered an Xbox LIVE account, you can do so online here.

If you need a copy of the original Xbox 360 release of Grand Theft Auto IV, you can browse online retail options here.

Source: rockstargames.com/thelostanddamned

Lost And Damned Previews

Gaming sites across the web and around the world recently got a chance to ride with Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.

"The new levels not only extend the appeal of GTA IV as a game, but also widen the possibilities of storytelling within the video game format." - Telegraph

"Rockstar Games, having already taken a sawed-off shotgun to single-title sales records with last year's Grand Theft Auto IV, has figured out how to save downloadable gaming content" - Esquire

"If our time with "The Lost and Damned" taught us one thing, it's that we just can't spend too much time in Liberty City... we feel like we were born to ride with The Lost." - Gamespy

"..the first downloadable episode looks like a sound investment at just $20." - Kotaku

"Liberty City returns in all its impressive glory in this first
Grand Theft Auto 4 downloadable episode for Xbox 360" - 1Up

"This is what DLC is supposed to be! Rockstar, who over the last decade have consistently stood at the tip of the gaming spear as it thrusts ever forward into bolder and broader areas, has yet again delivered a landmark moment in the evolution of our gaming culture." - Gameplayer

"Downloadable content is about to get a major kick in the ass. The release of GTA IV: The Lost and Damned on February 17 is going to change the way people think about DLC." - IGN

"Everything from the presentation to the content is up to the standards Rockstar established with GTA IV. In some ways, it's even better." - Game Informer

"GTA 4's first downloadable episode, The Lost and the Damned, is the most epic DLC weve seen yet." - UGO

"The Lost and Damned gives you a chance to go back to this virtual place you love and see it through fresh eyes." - Team Xbox

Source: rockstargames.com/thelostanddamned

Niko Bellic Statue

An 8" sculpture of Niko Bellic from Grand Theft Auto IV by Jaime Margary.

My sculpture of Niko Bellic, measuring at about 8", is finally done. Basing it off the familiar promo shot, I used Sculpey clay, a metal skeleton made of screws (needles for finger bones) and acrylic paint.

Multiple shades of each color were used to prevent it from having a toyish look. I based the pose on the promo shot but the details on the in-game model.

Source: kalapusa.deviantart.com

GTA IV PC Reviews Are In

The game is out and reviews are in. This year's biggest and most critically-acclaimed console game is now available on the PC platform - and garnering no shortage of accolades in its new, fully optimized Personal Computer incarnation. Check out what some of the gaming industry's top outlets are saying about the PC version of next addition to the Grand Theft Auto crime family.

"...GTA4 has debuted on the PC. It's a good thing, too, since this is one of the finest titles of the generation thus far... an instant classic, a game unlike any we've played before." - 5/5 (PERFECT SCORE) GAMESPY EDITORS’ CHOICE

"...from the glitz of Liberty City's 'Times Square' to the grime slathered over the industrial areas, Rockstar has produced one of the most authentic, believable settings ever seen in gaming... If you've so far neglected to enter Grand Theft Auto IV's stunning modern metropolis of Liberty City, by all means get this game." - 9.2 “OUTSTANDING” IGN EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARD

"...a genuinely ground-breaking blockbuster in videogame history. There were moments playing GTAIV that I thought back to my initial experiences with games, and realised exactly how far we've come. There's never been anything quite like GTAIV in the world. That there makes me genuinely happy to be a gamer." - 9/10 EUROGAMER

Source: rockstargames.com/IV

Real Niko Bellic Art

There’s a comparably new artistic style of image manipulation that’s called untooning. In essence untooning is when an artist uses one or several photographs of real people (mostly faces) and manipulates them in a way to give the effect of realism to a cartoonish character.

The most well known artist for such photo manipulations is an artist called pixeloo (Jax Pixeloo). He started to attract more attention after untooning GTA IV’s main character Niko Bellic for the Official Playstation Magazine. The artistic piece received great feedback and a lot of recognition.

Not everyone was amazed by pixeloo’s creation and one Brazilian artist, who also did similar pieces in the past, decided to make even more realistic portrait of an Eastern European war veteran. mataleoneRJ used eight photographs of different people to get the best possible result. The artist added wrinkles, extra details around the eyes and one or two scars to get the true gangster look.

Both artists achieved incredible results, and both pieces look superb.

Source: pixeloo.deviantart.com, mataleonerj.deviantart.com

1UP Multiplayer Preview

The closer we get to the PC release, the more new information revealed. People at 1UP had a chance to play multiplayer on a PC version and reflect on it. They also confirmed a lot of rumors about the gameplay, so many of you will be pleased.

What happens when you throw 32 thugs into the same neighborhood? We find out ourselves during a PC multiplayer session.

If you've ever wondered what might happen if you dropped nearly three dozen people into a neighborhood in New York, gave them automatic weapons and vehicles, and left them to fend for themselves, well, Grand Theft Auto 4's multiplayer might prove to be a decent simulation. While the upcoming PC version sports the usual array of improvements (snazzy resolutions like 2560x1600, general visual polish, a new radio channel called Independence FM that lets players listen to their own music, and a new video editor), multiplayer's getting a significant improvement: 32-player support. Anthony Gallegos and Thierry "Scooter" Nguyen got to jump right into a multiplayer session with personnel from Rockstar Games' various studios (fun fact: Rockstar Lincoln is not located in Lincoln, Nebraska, but in Lincoln, England) to experience some 32-player hijinks. Here's what they had to say on the subject of multiplayer vehicular homicide.

Scooter: Turning a 16-player game into a 32-player one sounds like a dorky bullet point for the back of the box, but in the case of GTA4 multiplayer, it officially amps up a multiplayer session from "crazy" to "f***ing nuts" on the Scooter Intensity Dial. No matter which of the numerous modes you play (we checked out two of the 15 modes), the addition of more players -- plus the new keyboard/mouse controls and the accuracy they grant -- results in some interesting matches. I can say one thing for sure: Padawan Anthony is damn good with the mere pistol due to his superior keyboard/mouse skills.

Anthony: It's true -- a keyboard and mouse definitely makes the pistol a viable weapon. It wasn't terrible in the console version, but it works fantastically for headshots if you have a steady mouse hand. But even an awesome mouse hand doesn't mean that you're going to wipe the floor with your opponents, since there's little that mouse hand's going to do when 12 cars are barreling down the street at you while four thugs are popping shots off at your head. Scooter's right: It's accurately described as "f***ing nuts" most of the time. Whether it's a free-for-all match or a mode with four teams of eight, you can be pretty sure that something's always going down close to you.

Scooter: Yeah, our first 32-player match was in an 8v8v8v8 Team Deathmatch session in the Bohan borough (GTA-speak for "the Bronx"). Even before jumping in, we noticed that the developers added a custom match browser, where you can search for an online session that fulfills specific criteria (gameplay mode, number of players, and so forth). It's a small but welcome touch, considering how the console versions pretty much just put you in a random online match. Like in the console versions, you can tweak your character's appearance a bit; Anthony rolled with a team that coordinated their outfits to be the same color while I had a sort of "what if Santa Claus was younger and a registered sex offender" look. The matches were pretty damn straightforward: You spawn in, run (or drive) around for a weapon or two, and just shoot the guys sporting other colors. Kills earn money, and the team with the most cash wins. Despite being constantly lost, a crazy firefight was always nearby due to the sheer number of players. Heck, even though I was crouching to up my accuracy, my assault rifle wasn't enough when Anthony rolled up with his whole crew?.

Anthony: It's true -- more so than when I played on console, I felt the need to run around with a posse. Being accurate is good, but having a group spray a wave of bullets is even better! And thanks to the spawning system that keeps placing you near your surviving teammates, I generally found that I was never far from friends or from the action -- despite playing in a large chunk of the city.
And while my teammates coordinated their outfits, I certainly never felt like it was a necessity. Between the minimap and the tags above players' heads, I never had trouble sorting out who deserved a bullet in the brain; in fact, besides the time when we played Team Deathmatch, this was never even a thought that crossed my mind, as everyone was a target in most of the other modes. I don't know about you, but when we tried out the GTA Race mode, the last thing I was concerned with was driving the proper course on the track.

Scooter: Oh, yeah, you want to talk craziness -- how about GTA Race mode? What's hilarious about GTA Race mode is how quickly it devolves into zany free-for-alls. It's actually kind of cool to be in a real, legit vehicle race with 31 (GTA Race also has a 32-player limit) other dudes, but cramming 32 people on a stretch of highway usually turns even a well-intentioned race into a bunch of guys hopping in and out of cars while trying to cap each other. Actually, since everyone starts out in a similar car, GTA Race mode ends up playing a bit better than Team Deathmatch for me. While it took me forever to find a car in Team Deathmatch, in GTA Race, because people kept on ditching their rides in an effort to take out other players, you have a lot of abandoned cars to choose from. Also, since each player in GTA Race respawns in a Faggio (the GTA name for Vespa scooters), you can see which spot is a warzone due to how many discarded Faggios litter the street.

Anthony: Yeah, I appreciated the craziness of GTA Race mode, but I worry that some people online will take it too seriously and end it within a few moments of when it starts. I guess, if nothing else, people who love to torment others can take pleasure in trying to derail those players from achieving a swift victory. And I completely agree with you that GTA Race mode is a great, as it not only still tracks your kills, but it also constantly gives people new vehicles when they respawn. Fighting on foot is fun and all, but there's something to be said about dropping grenades off the back off a scooter. GTA4 PC's multiplayer proved to me that, as far as the amount of players in a match, more truly can be better.

Source: 1up.com

Exclusive PC Gamer Review

UK based magazine PC GAMER has reviewed GTA IV and it has received a score of 92% and been awarded their 'Must Buy' badge. The game looks great and the keyboard and mouse combination is effortless to use. Make sure to pick up a copy in your nearest shop.

Keyboard and Mouse feels effortless to drive with, there seems no issues with this combo in general (mouse obviously being brilliant to aim with).

Wall hugging bugs from console has made it to PC - When up against certain walls or cars you still sometimes can’t always peak around to shoot which causes some frustration to the player.

Bizarre decision has been made regarding multiplayer - You need to log into Rockstar’s Social club AND Windows Live to be be able to log into the game online.

Game looks amazing with a Dual Core and a 8800 card. It did have some major framerate wobbles, “nothing fatal though” insists the reviewer.

Source: gtaforums.com

The Lost And Damned

Looks like all the waiting and speculations for Xbox 360 owners are finally over as the very first installment of DLC has finally arrived.

Rockstar Games is proud to announce that the eagerly anticipated first episode of downloadable content, Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, will be coming to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system via Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. Available exclusively on Xbox LIVE worldwide on February 17th 2009, The Lost and Damned will feature all new content and is the first of two episodes announced for Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360.

Developed by Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, The Lost and Damned features a new main character and plot that intersects with the storyline of Grand Theft Auto IV; new missions that offer an entirely fresh way to explore Liberty City with new multiplayer modes, weapons and vehicles; and a diverse soundtrack with additional music - all with the incredible production values that are the trademarks of Grand Theft Auto.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned requires players to have the full version of Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE membership to download.

Dan Houser, vice president of creative development for Rockstar Games, gave some inside information about the main character in the upcoming episode.

Johnny is a very different character than Niko, with a very different background. I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released. But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City.

Source: rockstargames.com/IV, usatoday.com

GTA IV Paper Craft

If you love arts and crafts then you lovemaking dioramas. Nico Bellic already ravashed Liberty City, time to steal cardboard cars and shoot papercraft prostitutes.

Presenting a new happy 3d papercraft tribute to the new game with cars and people walking about IV. It has pigeons in this one but I couldn’t fit them on my papercraft because the scale would go under even my tolerance levels for making small things.

You can get the template here. Print it, carefully cut out all the bits out and glue all pieces together. Make sure to follow the instructions written on the template in order to get the best result. You now the proud owner of a unique GTA IV memorabilia.

Source: tubbypaws.blogspot.com

Grand Theft Auto IV Icons

Since Grand Theft Auto IV for PC is almost here, even though with a slight delay, deviantART’s member firba1 released four glossy icons for the game. They probably the best ones out there, so make sure to get them.

I also would suggest to visit artist’s deviantART gallery, where you’ll find many other well made icons for your favourite games.

Click here to download these GTA IV icons.

Source: firba1.deviantart.com

GTA IV Style Fan Art

Another fan artwork done in GTA IV style but this time it’s from a female fan, Lizzie. Lizzie has many other portraits done in similar style in her deviantART gallery. I really like this piece, but I would enjoy it even more if that was a portrait of a femail.

There’s also Lizzie’s progress step by step.

Source: xxblackmagicxx.deviantart.com

GTA IV 100% Key To The City

Looks like Rockstar Games decided to please everyone this Christmas even if with some delays. PC owners will finally get to play GTA IV and console owners are started to get their 100% keys. Majority already forgot about Grand Theft Auto IV 100% Club Contest, so you can imagine the surprise of those who received them. Gamers began to post the photos of their newly arrived keys on many public forums to show everyone the proof of their great achievement.

Be among the first to join Grand Theft Auto IV's 100% Club, a members-only distinguishment for Liberty City's most elite players. The one-week challenge begins with Grand Theft Auto IV's official release on April 29th. Eligible Rockstar Games Social Club members who complete 100% of the game will have their achievement commemorated by being awarded the coveted "key to the city".