Who was Young Dolph? 6 things to know about the Memphis rapper

Here is a brief introduction to the life and career of Young Dolph, the 36-year-old rapper who was shot and killed Wednesday in Memphis.

Where is Young Dolph from?

Young Dolph was born Adolph Thornton Johnson Jr. on July 27, 1985, in Chicago. His family relocated to Memphis when he was 2. He attended Hamilton High School, and in 2020 donated $25,000 to his alma mater.

What was Young Dolph's debut?

Dolph released his first professional mixtape, "Paper Route Campaign," in 2008. Eight years later, he very publicly staked a claim to a place of prominence in his hometown when he titled his debut studio album "King of Memphis." According to the AllMusic.com website, Dolph's output would be "defined by both his nonstop work ethic and consistent high-quality output."

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What happened when Young Dolph was shot in 2017?

While in Charlotte in February 2017, Dolph was inside his $300,000 SUV when the vehicle was shot at more than 100 times. Dolph said he was saved by the bulletproof panels in the car. Blac Youngsta, a Memphis rapper signed to Yo Gotti's record label, was among those charged in connection with the shooting (the charges were dropped in 2019). In April, Dolph defiantly titled his second studio album "Bulletproof."

In September 2017, Dolph was shot outside a hotel in Hollywood. He was hospitalized in critical condition with three bullet wounds, but was able to leave the hospital after only about two weeks.

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Why were Young Dolph and Yo Gotti feuding?

An ongoing "beef" between Yo Gotti and Dolph was a storyline in Memphis rap for several years. In a 2016 tweet, Dolph labeled Gotti "my BIGGEST HATER." The feud in part stemmed from Dolph's claims that he turned down offers to sign with Gotti's record label.

What was Young Dolph's highest-charting record?

Released in 2020, Dolph's fifth studio album, "Rich Slave," debuted at No. 4 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart, making it his highest-charting record. Like all his records, it was released on Dolph's own Paper Route Empire label. In 2019, Dolph claimed his success brought new attention to the Memphis rap scene. "Memphis wasn't hot before Dolph came out," he said. "Dolph put the light on Memphis."

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Was Young Dolph still active in Memphis?

Dolph remained active in Memphis and did not isolate himself from his fans or community. He hosted Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, and in 2019 performed at the "Midnight Madness" event celebrating Memphis Tigers basketball. Earlier this year, he performed during the halftime of a Memphis Grizzlies game.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Who is Young Dolph? A look at the Memphis rapper