Young Dolph
Born: July 27, 1985
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Died: November 17, 2021
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Adolph Thornton, Jr., aka Young Dolph, was an American rapper. In February 2016, Dolph released his debut album, King of Memphis, which peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200 chart. He was featured on O.T. Genasis' hit single "Cut It," which peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2008, he nearly died in a drive-by shooting accident; later that same year, his grandmother died from lung cancer. These incidents motivated his "wake-up" call. He started making music around that time because it served as an emotional release. In addition, Young Dolph and his fellows all complained about fake rappers telling stories about what they had never done, witnessed, or experienced. His partners encouraged him to do more music after hearing his first song, even though he did it simply for fun. His first mixtape, Paper Route Campaign, successfully confirmed his journey into the entertainment industry.
In early 2017, Young Dolph was the target of gunfire in Charlotte, North Carolina. According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, on February 25, several dozen rounds were fired. At least two vehicles and several weapons were involved, with rounds striking nearby residences and cars. By the next day, several hip-hop news agencies had begun reporting that Young Dolph was the primary target of the shooting and that perhaps 100 rounds were fired during the attack. It was speculated that the shooting had stemmed from a rivalry between Dolph and rapper Yo Gotti, though both parties have remained silent. Young Dolph used the publicity to promote his second studio album Bulletproof.
On November 17, 2021, Thornton was fatally shot in Memphis while picking up cookies for his mother at Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies, a bakery he frequently visited whenever he was back home. Two gunmen in a white two-door Mercedes-Benz gunned him down. An autopsy revealed that Thornton had 22 gunshot wounds from bullet entries and exits. Some injuries were sustained in the forehead and back. Crowds of hundreds of people swarmed the scene of Thornton's death for hours; police had to prevent individuals from entering the area while they investigated. Tennessee House Representative London Lamar and Memphis Councilman J. B. Smiley reacted by calling for a curfew in Memphis to prevent civil unrest and violence.
Young Dolph was laid to rest on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. A service was held at First Baptist Church on Broad Street. The family's caravan of black SUVs was escorted by security and Memphis Police to the cemetery across from Hamilton High School, Young Dolph's alma mater. Source.