On Wednesday (November 17), legendary Memphis, Tennessee rapper Young Dolph (born Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr.), was shot and killed while picking up cookies for his mother at a bakery. He was 36 years old.
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In 2016, Young Dolph released his debut studio album, King of Memphis, which topped at number 49 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. He was also featured on O.T. Genasis’s single “Cut It” and his seventh album, Rich Slave, was released in 2020. He was also a cousin of the late singer and performer Juice Wrld, who died from an opioid overdose in 2019.
The gunman reportedly entered the shop, Makeda’s Butter Cookies, and fired twice, killing the rapper. The event immediately caused a big disturbance in Memphis, where the artist had legions of friends, family and fans. That public mourning spilled onto Twitter in a big way.
According to Fox13 Memphis, the police called the shooting “senseless” and added that “our hearts go out to the Thornton family and all who were affected by this horrific act of violence.”
The rapper’s death is sadly reminiscent of prior killings like that of Nipsey Hussle, who, like Young Dolph, was a charitable member of his local community.
Fox 13’s reporter, Jeremy Pierre, tweeted from the scene, saying, “On the scene of a shooting on Airways. I’m hearing Memphis rapper Young Dolph may be a victim in the shooting. Shooting happened at Makeda’s Cookies.”
Soon after the outpouring from family, friends and fans began:
@Navjosh wrote, “Last year, Young Dolph gifted his $400k lambo to a super fan whose nail business suffered because of the pandemic. Dolph also gave the green light to the pregnant fan to sell the car so she can support her growing family”
@SydneyRSims wrote, “My favorite story about Young Dolph was when two baristas at a Duke coffee shop were fired for playing his music in the shop. Dolph found out and flew them to the Rolling Loud Festival, brought them on stage, gave them each $20,000 dollars, and then played “Get Paid” A legend.”
@HoddieLBJ wrote, “Wowww man Dolph had so much impact on everyone from the youth to the elderly. RIP Young Dolph”
@DJAkademiks wrote, “Just a week ago, Young Dolph made this video shouting out Makeda’s cookie shop and said every time he back in Memphis he always goes there. A week later he died at the same store”
@travisxthompson wrote, “Dolph rlly an indy anomaly. This world fuckin trash man. R.I.P.”
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
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