A recording artist’s own biography has become the latest source of Grand Theft Auto 6 speculation. Trace Austin, a singer connected to Motown royalty, has a professional profile stating that his version of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” will serve as one of the game’s main theme songs. That single line kicked off a wave of debate about whether one of Rockstar’s biggest musical picks slipped out early.
Quick answer: The claim comes only from Trace Austin’s Project Casting and LinkedIn bios, which say his rendition of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” will be a main GTA 6 theme. Rockstar Games has not acknowledged or confirmed it, so treat it as an unverified rumor.
Where the GTA 6 theme song claim comes from
The find surfaced through the X account iGrandTheftAuto, which had been combing through casting websites for actors who might appear in Grand Theft Auto 6. Instead of an actor, the search turned up the profile of recording artist Trace Austin.
Austin’s Project Casting biography states that he “has also partnered with Rockstar Games for Grand Theft Auto VI, where his rendition of ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone’ will be one of the main theme songs.” Similar wording appears on his LinkedIn page, which describes a collaboration built around his special rendition of the track featuring The Temptations.
What gives the claim some weight is Austin’s family background. He is a grandson of Otis Williams, the founder and last surviving original member of The Temptations. A video of Austin performing the song has also appeared online, which is why fans could react to an actual take rather than a title alone.
The song’s history and why it fits GTA
“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” was first recorded in 1972 by the Motown act The Undisputed Truth. It became far better known that same year when The Temptations released their Grammy-winning cover. The song later charted again for Was Not Was in the 1990s, and George Michael performed a mash-up of it with Adamski’s “Killer” at a 1992 AIDS charity concert at Wembley.
Austin’s version appears to sample or build on the original vocals to create a new rendition. The track’s tone lines up with how Grand Theft Auto has treated its trailers. The first trailer used Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road,” while the second was scored to The Pointer Sisters’ “Hot Together.” A Motown classic would sit comfortably in that lineage.
The lyrics also match the series’ recurring subject matter. The song follows a mother telling her son about his absent father, describing his lying, stealing, and drifting from place to place. That theme of a wandering, outlaw figure echoes the kind of characters GTA has centered for years.
Why fans are divided
Reactions split along a simple line. Some players expected the theme to lean into modern hip-hop, electronic, or Latin-inspired music that would match the present-day Vice City setting. Others argue that Rockstar has a long track record of introducing players to older classics, which would make a Motown cover a natural pick.
This is also not the only rumored track. “Need A Little Time Off For Bad Behavior” by David Allan Coe has circulated as a possible inclusion, with lyrics that fit the game’s crime-driven story. As with the Trace Austin claim, none of it has been officially placed in the soundtrack.
Confirmed versus unconfirmed
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Trace Austin’s bio names GTA 6 and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” | Verified wording on his own profiles |
| Austin is a grandson of Otis Williams of The Temptations | Supported by his stated background |
| The song will be a GTA 6 main theme | Not confirmed by Rockstar |
| GTA 6 release date | November 19, 2026 |
Note: Rockstar Games has not addressed the profile or the song, and there is no official soundtrack announcement tying the track to the game. Until the studio reveals the music itself, the safest reading is that a plausible-sounding but unconfirmed claim came from an artist’s marketing bio rather than from Rockstar.
The pick is believable because the music and the storytelling pull in the same direction, and a grandson of a Temptations founder covering the group’s signature hit is an easy detail to accept. Even so, a casting bio is not a confirmation, and the only thing that will settle it is Rockstar putting the soundtrack on the record.
