{"id":410890,"date":"2026-07-24T16:13:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T16:13:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/410890\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T16:13:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T16:13:10","slug":"in-splash-city-actor-galaxy-brooks-brings-firsthand-knowledge-of-the-streets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/410890\/","title":{"rendered":"In \u2018Splash City,\u2019 Actor Galaxy Brooks Brings Firsthand Knowledge of the Streets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The crime drama Splash City<\/a> is a feature film with local star power, glossy cinematography and a dark storyline about an issue that has long plagued the Bay Area: bippin<\/a>\u2018.<\/p>\n

Car windows are shattered. Backpacks are snatched. Underbuckets bend corners through busy San Francisco streets. There\u2019s guns, sex, big money and high stakes. Splash City, written and directed by Berner<\/a>, Alex Ferrufino<\/a> and David Mansanalez<\/a> (and distributed by Lionsgate), also features an affecting performance by Oakland lyricist Baby Gas<\/a>, a cameo from Pinole-raised producer P-Lo<\/a> and a brief appearance by Fillmore rapper Ronski Mayfield<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s the film\u2019s antagonist who embodies an archetype often seen in hood films. Through him, Splash City brings into focus real-life issues caused by wealth inequality in the Bay Area.<\/p>\n

\"\"Reed Shannon as Julian \u2018Juju\u2019 Johnson and Quincy \u2018Galaxy\u2019 Brooks as Darnell \u2018Dolo\u2019 Ferguson in \u2018Splash City.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a time in my life where I was waking up and bippin\u2019 all day,\u201d says Quincy \u201cGalaxy\u201d Brooks<\/a> today. \u201cThat\u2019s how I was getting my money to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brooks, a 27 year-old rapper and son of San Francisco hip-hop legend San Quinn<\/a>, plays the menacing role of Darnell \u201cDolo\u201d Ferguson in the film. As the ultimate bad guy, his character is a wolf in high-end clothing, tattoos and shiny jewels.<\/p>\n

To prepare for the role, Brooks relied on his own lived experiences, and his mother\u2019s mentality from a time when she, too, was forced to navigate all the streets entail. Lastly, Brooks says, he was heavily influenced by the iconic role Tupac played in 1992 film Juice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like \u2018I want make that new millennium 2026 Bishop,\u2019\u201d says Brooks, adding that he watched Juice over a dozen times before taking the role of Dolo. In doing so, he saw beyond the ruthless character on the screen and identified with Tupac the person, a young rapper and actor influenced by the Bay\u2019s culture. Tupac brought a certain \u201cummph\u201d with him to the set of the film, says Brooks, and \u201cthat\u2019s the same thing I wanted to do for Dolo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Reed Shannon as Julian \u2018Juju\u2019 Johnson in \u2018Splash City. \u2019<\/p>\n

In Splash City, Dolo is a headstrong character who holds a boss-like influence in the community. He pays for a couple younger homies\u2019 jewelry when their stolen credit card is declined. He also does scandalous stuff to the younger ring of thieves, cutting them short on loads of cash because he runs the operation.<\/p>\n

As the film\u2019s story unfolds, a chain of events pits Dolo against a childhood friend and rising hoop star, Elijah \u201cSlim\u201d Johnson (Zach Sowers<\/a>). Eventually, Slim\u2019s brother and the main protagonist of the film, Julian \u201cJuju\u201d Johnson (Reed Shannon<\/a>), steps up to bring Dolo to justice \u2014 but not before Dolo and his hot temper wreak havoc on the community.<\/p>\n

As the outspoken live wire of the crew, Dolo is an archetype that we\u2019ve seen before. Similar to Bishop in Juice, O-Dog in Menace II Society or Bundy in Belly, he\u2019s a Black man who\u2019s both charismatic and a crashout. Full of ego and rage, he overly flexes his power to get revenge on those who once made him feel powerless.<\/p>\n

\"AQuincy \u2018Galaxy\u2019 Brooks as Darnell \u2018Dolo\u2019 Ferguson in \u2018Splash City.\u2019 Brooks, the son of San Francisco rapper San Quinn, drew on real-life experiences for the role.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Brooks\u2019 performance, even as Dolo goes off the deep end, his character retains a relatable humanity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that dude,\u201d Brooks says, explaining his familiarity with the role, which he landed in a circuitous way. Initially in contact with Berner<\/a> (founder of the Cookies cannabis brand and San Francisco hip-hop artist) to play the role of Preach in the film, he heard Dolo described as \u201ca young street dude from the city \u2014 the wild one.\u201d Brooks said to himself: \u201cI feel like I do that real good.\u201d<\/p>\n

He and his younger brother Zakee \u201cH20<\/a>\u201d Brooks, who raps with Brooks in a group called THA SOULJAS<\/a>, each auditioned multiple times before being awarded roles in the film. \u201cI wasn\u2019t that deeply involved in the streets,\u201d the older Brooks says, contrasting his life with Dolo\u2019s.<\/p>\n

In order to really tap into that cutthroat mentality, he looked to his mother, Cheryl-T.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom was ruthless out here on the streets,\u201d says Brooks, adding that she\u2019s done it all, from robberies to theft, all as a means of survival.<\/p>\n

As a child, Brooks\u2019 mom moved from New Orleans to the West Point housing projects in Bayview-Hunters Point. She later lived in the notorious Harbor Road projects before being kicked out of the house at age 13. She became a parent while still young, mothering two children before Brooks, plus his younger brother soon after.<\/p>\n

As a mom, Brooks says, Cheryl-T stole school clothes to ensure the kids had fresh fits in the classroom. She took football pads from the store to make sure Brooks had the gear he needed when he stepped on the gridiron.<\/p>\n

\"\"Reed Shannon as Julian \u2018Juju\u2019 Johnson and Zach Sowers as Elijah \u2018Slim\u2019 Johnson in \u2018Splash City.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Even with Dolo\u2019s snake-like mentality, many viewers may find themselves siding with him at times, much like Bundy in Belly or Bishop in Juice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we all have a little Bishop or O-Dog or Dolo in us,\u201d says Brooks. A lot of folks have experienced the feeling of being pushed to the limit. \u201cEspecially as Black people, just because all the scrutiny and hardships. Dolo is just a young dude who\u2019s been through hardships and isn\u2019t turning down no more.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more human than navigating an oppressive system by taking vengeance out on those in close proximity? In the Bay Area, where the chasm between the haves and have nots is wider than the Salesforce Tower laying on its side, it\u2019s no wonder that people wielding a spark plug are preying on the parked vehicles of others.<\/p>\n

\u2018Splash City\u2019 is currently showing at select theaters nationwide, with upcoming screenings on Friday, July 31<\/a> in San Jos\u00e9 and Saturday, Aug. 1<\/a> in San Francisco. Screening times and more information here<\/a>.<\/p>\n