Memphis rapper Young Dolph has been shot and killed, Fox13, WREG, and Billboard report. The shooting reportedly took place at Makeda’s Butter Cookies, located at 2370 Airways in Memphis. On Twitter, the Memphis Police Department wrote that a male shooting victim was located at 2370 Airways. The store’s owner told Fox13 that Dolph entered the store to buy cookies, at which point someone drove up and shot the rapper. Young Dolph was 36 years old.
Young Dolph, who was born Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr., released his first mixtape Paper Route Campaign in 2009. A prolific recording artist, he would go on to garner regional acclaim for his steady output, including the High Class Street Music mixtape series that caught the attention of hip-hop stars like Gucci Mane.
In 2015, Young Dolph cracked the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his guest spot on O.T. Genasis’ “Cut It.” Since then, the Memphis rapper went on to work with T.I., 2 Chainz, Juicy J, Jeezy, Rick Ross, Mike Will Made-It, and many others. Dolph cited Memphis rappers such as Three 6 Mafia, Playa Fly, 8Ball, MJG, DJ Squeeky, and more as inspirations. In 2016, he issued his first studio album, King of Memphis, through his own label Paper Route Empire. Through Paper Route Empire, Dolph also released music by his most prominent collaborator Key Glock, with whom he released Dum and Dummer and this year’s Dum and Dummer 2. Dolph’s latest solo album was last year’s Rich Slave.
In 2017, Young Dolph was hospitalized for multiple gunshot wounds after being shot outside of the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, an argument between Dolph and three men escalated to a physical altercation that ended in the rapper being shot several times. The incident followed another shooting that took place in February 2017 when Young Dolph’s SUV was shot multiple times in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fellow Memphis rapper Blac Youngsta and two other men later turned themselves in to authorities. Dolph escaped the shooting unharmed.
Dolph’s hip-hop contemporaries, including Chance the Rapper, Offset, Jpegmafia and Megan Thee Stallion, have responded to the news of his death. Megan Thee Stallion, who collaborated with Young Dolph on “RNB,” tweeted, “Rest In Peace to my friend a true legend dolph ??.”