Young Dolph used to be an American rapper who was born on July 27, 1985, and died on November 17, 2021, from gunshot wounds in Memphis, Tennessee. In relation to Young’s murder, several suspects like Hernandez Govan and Justin Johnson were arrested on different charges.
Prior to his death, the entertainer released his debut solo album in 2016 and he titled it King of Memphis. The title of his album infuriated many rappers and generated a feud that constantly put his life on the line. He is survived by his family, fans, girlfriend, and 2 kids – Tre Tre Thornton and Aria Ella Thornton.
Young Dolph’s Life and Death: All There is to Know
As stated earlier, Dolph was born on July 27, 1985, in Chicago Illinois. Although the entertainer was born in Chicago, he was raised in Memphis alongside his two sisters and two brothers.
He ventured into music at a very young age and is known to have released his first mixtape in 2008.
Young’s music career came with several honors and controversies as well. He has released several studio albums, compilation albums, mixtapes, extended plays, and singles. He has also performed as a featured artist with rappers like Lil Baby, T.I, and O.T. Genesis.
Meanwhile, Doplph’s impressive rise to fame continued to put his life on the line. His car was shot over 100 times but was outfitted with bulletproof panels in February 2017. Blac Youngsta and two other men were arrested in connection with the crime but the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
The entertainer was able to escape several assassination attempts. However, he died after sustaining at least 22 gunshot wounds on November 17, 2021, aged 36.
Who Murdered Young Dolph?
So far, 4 persons have been accused of Dolph’s murder. They are;
- Hernandez Govan
- Justin Johnson
- Cornelius Smith
- Shundale
None of the suspects arrested have pleaded guilty to the charges labeled against them yet, as the case remains under investigation. Some sources have said that It is likely that the trial for those accused of murdering Young Dolph will not occur until 2024 due to the severity of the charges and the discovery procedures by the defendants’ attorneys.
Intriguing Facts About the Late Rapper
1. He was Mostly Raised By His Grandmother
Young Dolph has said that he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother – Ida Mae. According to him, his parents were drug addicts and he hardly sets his eyes on them. Young said many of his peers in South Memphis were also raised by their grandmothers due to the several issues their parents had with drugs.
More so, Dolph said he disliked his grandmother when he was much younger because she was very strict and never allowed his friends to visit. However, he came to appreciate all she taught him when he was about 15. Young’s grandmother died on March 5, 2008, after battling lung cancer.
2. His Friends Encouraged Him to Release His First Mixtape
2008 marked the beginning of Young’s entertainment career. According to the available information, his friends were the ones that encouraged him to release his first mixtape titled Paper Route Campaign. Because of the tape’s local popularity, he decided to fully devote himself to rap music.
3. Young Dolph Established His Label in 2010
Dolph started his record label in 2010. He named the label Paper Route Empire and was able to release his first mainstream mixtape Welcome 2 Dolph World through the same label the same year.
4. Many Rappers Were Offended by the Title of His Debut Album – King of Memphis
As earlier stated, Young released his debut album in 2016 under his independent Paper Route Empire label. The album impressively peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200 but several other Memphis rappers including Yo Gotti were infuriated by the album title. Consequently, Blac Youngsta released a diss track titled SHAKE SUM in response to Dolph’s album title.
SEE ALSO: Edmond Dédé: A Look Into His Life And Death
5. His Car Was Shot Over 100 Times a day After He Released a Video for His Diss Track
One of the earlier assassination attempts on Dolph was after he released a video for his diss track Play Wit Yo’ Bitch; a response to Blac Youngsta’s SHAKE SUM.
“Play Wit Yo’ Bitch” was carefully constructed to portray Gotti as an exploitative, dishonest, sneak-dissing, and disloyal fellow. A day after Doplph’s video was released, his car became the target of gunfire in Charlotte, North Carolina. The car was shot over 100 times but no one was hurt because it was bulletproof.
6. Young Birthed 2 Kids with His Partner, Mia Jaye
Dolph has never been married but he is known to have fathered two children with his longtime partner Mia Jaye. The names of his kids are Tre Tre Thornton (10 years old) and Aria Ella Thornton (7 years old). Young appears to love his kids dearly as he once said that he was highly considering quitting the music business because he really wanted to be with his kids 24/7″.
7. He Was Shot in Memphis While Picking up Cookies for His Mother
Young was attacked by 2 gunmen in a white two-door Mercedes-Benz on November 17, 2021, while picking up cookies for his mother at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies. According to reports, The entertainer frequently used to visit the bakery whenever he goes home. An autopsy later revealed that the entertainer was shot 22 times and some of the wounds he sustained were on his forehead, making it difficult for him to survive.
8. A Quick Look at the Charges on His Suspected Killers
As stated earlier, at least 4 persons have been arrested in Dolph’s homicide investigation under the following charges;
Johnson, Smith, and Govan:
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- First-degree murder
- Criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder
Johnson and Smith:
- Convicted felon in possession of a handgun
- Employing a firearm during a felony
- Theft of property between $10,000-$60,000
Shundale Barnett:
- After-the-fact accessory
9. Young Dolph was Laid to rest on November 30, 2021
Dolph’s funeral service was held at First Baptist Church Broad Street. His remains were laid at a cemetery close to Hamilton High School, his alma mater.
10. A Street was Named After Him in Memphis
The city of Memphis gave approval for a street located at Dunn Avenue and Airways Boulevard to be renamed Young Dolph” Thornton Jr. Avenue. This happens to be the same location where Dolph was raised.
Similarly, two Tennessee lawmakers – Torrey C. Harris and former Senator Katrina Robinson proposed a bill that would make November 17 to be the “Adolph Thornton Day of Service” The lawmakers pointed out the fact that the entertainer was a philanthropist who lived an exemplary life.
More so, A posthumous tribute album titled Long Live Young Dolph was announced on January 10, 2022. The album was later released on January 21, 2022, through Paper Route Empire. Another posthumous album from Dolph, titled Paper Route Frank, is set for release before 2022 ends.
