Rapper Young Dolph Dies At Age 36

The rapper was shot and killed while visiting a bakery in his hometown of Memphis.

Social media went into mass confusion today when reports began to leak that Hip hop star and Entertainment executive, Young Dolph had been killed. Moments later, various news outlets, specifically Fox13 Memphis reported the speculations to be true. He was just 36.

The shooting took place at Makeda’s Butter Cookies, around 1 pm according to the shop owner, Maurice Hill. Young Dolph was frequent of the location and had been there the previous week spreading love to the community.

Born in Chicago, raised in Memphis. Young Dolph was celebrated in the indie rap scene in the late 2000s after the release of his first mixtape Paper Route Campaign. He quickly caught the eyes of hip-hop big wigs like Gucci Mane with the High Class Street Music mixtape series.

Dolph soon got a taste of global stardom in 2015 with the billboard charting hit with O.T. Genasis’ “Cut It.” In 2016 he released his debut studio album, King of Memphis, through his Paper Route Empire label.

Born Adolph Rober Thornton, Jr., Young Dolph has been involved in many shootings since his tenure in the music industry. In 2017 during CIAA Weekend in Charlotte, Dolph’s vehicle was shot an estimated 100 times. Blac Youngsta and two other men turned themselves in. Later that year, he was shot in Los Angeles several times due to an alleged beef with Yo Gotti.

Young Dolph was a talented musician and businessman. His protege Key Glock, who is signed to Paper Route Empire debuted this week at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with Yellow Tape 2. No comments have been made from Key Glock in regards to Dolph’s tragic death. 

A pioneer in the Indie hip-hop scene, Young Dolph will be greatly missed by his city, his peers, friends, and family.