Young Dolph was an American rapper with an estimated net worth of $3 million at his death in November 2021. With a career spanning over a decade, Young Dolph became known for his chart-topping studio albums and mixtapes.
Young Dolph’s Early Life
Young Dolph was born Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr., on July 27, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, when he was still a toddler. Young Dolph had a difficult upbringing in the Castalia neighborhood of South Memphis, known for high crime rates.
He dropped out of high school around age 17 to focus on his budding music career. Young Dolph started developing an interest in rap music from an early age. His parents divorced when he was a child, and music became an outlet for him. Before fame, he used to hand-sell his mixtapes on streets to establish a fan following in Memphis.
Young Dolph Career Beginnings
Young Dolph’s professional music career took off around 2008 when he was about 23. That year, he released his debut mixtape, “Paper Route Campaign,” introducing his unique style and gaining street credibility. Early on, he garnered local buzz in the Memphis area with mixtapes like “High-Class Street Music,” “Blue Magic,” and “Blue Magic Prelude” between 2009 and 2011.
Record labels didn’t bring his mixtapes and were primarily sold out of his car. The consecutive success of his underground releases grabbed the attention of fellow Memphis-based rap stars like Yo Gotti and Gucci Mane.
In 2013, Young Dolph signed a deal with Gotti’s Collective Music Group record label and dropped his welcome to the label mixtape “South Memphis Kingpin”. The next year in 2014, his career reached new heights with a digital album called “High Class Street Music 4 (American Gangster),” which ranked on the Billboard charts.
Feud With Yo Gotti
Heading into 2015, Young Dolph suddenly had a lot of public tensions with Gotti, leading to a serious feud between the two. Things got so bad that Dolph ended up leaving Gotti’s label, citing issues with transparency and payment discrepancies. Multiple diss tracks from each side ensued for months, causing the feud to intensify even further.
Both rappers were based in the same city of Memphis, which raised concerns of potential violence breaking out. By early 2016, Yo Gotti and Young Dolph announced publicly that they had finally settled their legal issues and put aside the feud for good in the city’s best interests.
Young Dolph Chart: Topping Studio Albums
Post his dramatic fallout with Gotti; Young Dolph went on to build his successful solo career on his terms entirely independently. He refused to sign to another label and dropped numerous acclaimed projects under his Paper Route Empire each year, like the mixtape “King of Memphis” (2016) and the album “Bulletproof” (2017).
In 2017, he finally landed his debut entry on the Billboard 200 charts with the album “Thinking Out Loud,” which peaked at number 28 thanks to immense grassroots popularity across the southern US. The same year, Young Dolph also earned three collaborations on the Hot 100 charts through songs like “Juice” by Yo Gotti featuring Dolph.
His next two studio albums, “Role Model” (2018) and “Rich Slave” (2020), were both certified gold and established Young Dolph as an established rap star with his highest first-week album sales figures up to that point. Young Dolph had found his lane, blending elements of trap music with soulful sounds—his upfront lyrics reflecting his real-life experiences further connected with fans.
Over time, Young Dolph had many other successful singles on the Billboard Hot 100, usually through collaborations with contemporary rappers like 2 Chainz, Key Glock, Latto, and more.
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Young Dolph’s Tragic Death
Sadly, in November 2021, Young Dolph was murdered in a shooting at a bakery store in Memphis at just 36 years old. He had returned to his hometown independently to make Thanksgiving food donations and spend time with family. Investigation into his death is still ongoing.
The talented rapper was at the peak of his professional career, having just released his latest Billboard-charting album, “Rich Slave,” the year before in 2020. He was working on new music that was left unfinished. Young Dolph was clearly on course to build up his $3 million net worth significantly higher in the coming years before his untimely and abrupt demise stunned the rap world.
Young Dolph’s Personal Life
Not much is known about Young Dolph’s private life as he preferred keeping it secret from his rap persona even at mainstream popularity. Most details emerged only after his shocking murder.
While the rapper never married, it was revealed Young Dolph had two children who survived him – a son born in 2021 and a daughter born months before he died in early 2022. Their mothers’ identities were also kept private.
In various songs, Young Dolph alluded to past involvements in organized crime and street violence since his youth before discovering a musical talent. This history made him an easy target for long-time rivalries in the underground rap scene of Memphis and its gang culture.
Philanthropy
Despite his proudly thuggish image, Young Dolph was also known for quietly partaking in various acts of charity, especially around Thanksgiving. He regularly donated money along with turkeys and other food essentials to underprivileged families and community centers in Memphis every year through his independent label Paper Route Empire.
Even in the last days before his death in 2021, Young Dolph had spent significant money organizing donations across Memphis out of his pocket.
| Birth Date | July 27, 1985 |
| Name | Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. |
| Profession | American rapper |
| Father | Adolph Thornton |
| Mother | Diane Thornton |
| Height | 1.88 m in feet |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, U.S |
| Zodiac | Leo |
Young Dolph Net Worth: Financial Legacy
Throughout his career, Young Dolph advocated fiercely for ownership and creative control. After souring relationships with labels like Gotti’s CMG, he branched out independently rather than compromising his style or profits.
By retaining all rights to his music and eschewing label promotions, Young Dolph accumulated a respectable net worth of nearly $3 million, primarily from independent album sales and streams.
At 36, the enterprising rapper was firmly heading towards doubling his wealth with new releases in the next few years. He also purchased real estate assets in recent years, like two lavish mansions worth over $700K each in the suburbs of Atlanta.
While short-lived, Young Dolph leaves an influential legacy as an exceptionally talented artist who chose financial freedom over playing label games. His unfiltered depictions of street life through catchy rap tunes touched countless fans while inspiring aspirational musicians in the process as well.
Most young rappers attempting to make it solely off talent seldom realize their dreams. However, Young Dolph proved one can fight staggering odds to achieve both critical acclaim and commercial rewards solely on one’s terms.
Little Known Facts about Young Dolph
- Used the rap alias “Donkey Dick Dolph” briefly in early career.
- Survived 4 serious assassination attempts in recent years before the final shooting.
- He has an eccentric collection of over 10 exotic luxury sports cars.
- Initiated the tradition of handing out free turkeys around Memphis for Thanksgiving.
- He quietly ran his cancer foundation dedicated to his aunt, who died of illness.
- He featured his toddler son Aiden in the music video for the single “To Be Honest.”
- Young Dolph’s camouflage Lamborghini, seen in many music videos, was worth over $400K.
The life story of Young Dolph echoes loudly as that of an exceptional artist who found massive underground hip-hop fame in the 2010s decade tragically cut short. But the ambitious rapper accomplished an incredible amount in just over 10 prolific years.
With over a dozen acclaimed projects and three gold albums, Young Dolph nurtured a net worth of $3 million entirely on his terms while solidifying a unique rap legacy. Though gone too soon, Young Dolph’s musical talents will continue inspiring young artists everywhere.
FAQ’s?
How old was Young Dolph at the time of his death?
Young Dolph was 36 years old when he was killed in November 2021. He was born on July 27, 1985.
What are some of Young Dolph’s most popular songs?
Some of Young Dolph’s biggest hits include “Major,” “On the River,” “100 Shots”, and his features on O.T. Genasis’ “Cut It” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “RNB.”
Is Young Dolph dead?
Yes, unfortunately, Young Dolph passed away after being fatally shot in November 2021 in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 36.
What happened in the Young Dolph shooting incident?
Young Dolph was shot and killed while buying cookies at a bakery called Makeda’s Butter Cookies in Memphis on November 17, 2021. The homicide investigation remains ongoing by Memphis police.
What was Young Dolph’s cause of death ultimately ruled as?
The medical examiner officially ruled Young Dolph’s cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds. He suffered severe injuries after being shot over 20 times by two unidentified gunmen.
Did Young Dolph have an expensive car collection?
Yes. Young Dolph was known for owning many luxury sports cars and splurging on new exotic vehicles nearly yearly. Some of his cars included two Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Rolls Royce, a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, and more.
Was an autopsy performed for Young Dolph?
Yes, an autopsy was immediately conducted as standard procedure in a homicide case. The results and full report were never released publicly per office policies and the open status of the criminal investigation.
