Introduction
Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper. In 2016, he released his debut studio 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. Young Dolph's seventh album, Rich Slave, was released in 2020 and became his highest-charting project, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200. On November 17, 2021, he was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee.
Early life
Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. was born on July 27, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, when he was 2 years old. He had two sisters and two brothers, and was cousins with rapper Juice Wrld.
Career
2008–2017: Early success and shootings
In 2016, Young Dolph performed his hit singles "Get Paid" and "Cut It" live at the Royal South Central in Atlanta along with Solo Lucci and more to promote his debut album King of Memphis.
In early 2017, Youngwas the target of gunfire in Charlotte, North Carolina. Young Dolph used the publicity to promote his second studio album Bulletproof.
2018–2021: Charting singles and top 10 album
In 2018, Young Dolph's single "Major" featuring fellow Memphis rapper Key Glock peaked at number 47 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In July 2019, Dolph again collaborated with Key Glock, this time releasing a collaborative album titled Dum and Dummer, imitating the title of the Farrelly brothers' film Dumb and Dumber. The album peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200, earning each of the artists their first top 10 album.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Dolph released the single "Sunshine" to highlight and address the global situation. Dolph's seventh album, Rich Slave, was released on August 14, 2020. It was preceded by the singles "Blue Diamonds", "RNB" featuring Megan Thee Stallion and "Death Row". Dolph explained the album's title, stating "It's the reality of being Black in this country".
On March 5, 2021, Dolph and Key Glock released the single, "Aspen", and subsequently their second collaborative album, Dum and Dummer 2, was released on March 26, 2021 with 20 tracks. It is a sequel to 2019's Dum and Dummer, and combined solo songs with tracks featuring both artists. The project's cartoon artwork references Beavis & Butthead. The album was released by Dolph's independent Paper Route Empire label.
Personal life and death
Young Dolph was shot outside of a retail store in Hollywood, Los Angeles on September 26, 2017. He was listed in critical condition at the hospital, but within a few hours doctors said that he was expected to survive. He spent two weeks in the hospital to recover from his three gunshot wounds.Moments after the shooting, Yo Gotti was initially named as a person of interest in relation to the shooting. Yo Gotti was later cleared; his friend, Corey McClendon, was arrested for attempted murder but was released with no charges the next day.
On November 17, 2021, law enforcement officials in Memphis confirmed that Young Dolph had been fatally shot inside the Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies shop. An unidentified gunman ran into the store and shot two bullets. Young Dolph frequently visited the cookie shop.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B/HH |
US Rap | |||||||||||
| King of Memphis |
|
49 | 9 | 5 | |||||||||
| Bulletproof |
|
36 | 19 | 14 | |||||||||
| Thinking Out Loud |
|
16 | 9 | 8 | |||||||||
| Role Model |
|
15 | 11 | 9 | |||||||||
| Dum and Dummer (with Key Glock) |
|
8 |
5 | 4 | |||||||||
| Rich Slave |
|
4 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
| Dum and Dummer 2 (with Key Glock) |
|
8 | 5 | 4 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
USR&B/HH |
USRap | ||
| Paper Route Illuminati (with Paper Route Empire) |
|
22 |
13 | 10 |
Mixtapes
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B/HH |
US Rap | |||||||||||
| Paper Route Campaign |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Welcome 2 Dolph World |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| High Class Street Music |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| High Class Street Music 2: Hustler's Paradise |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| A Time 2 Kill |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Blue Magic |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| East Atlanta Memphis (with Gucci Mane) |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| High Class Street Music 3: Trappin' Out a Mansion |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| South Memphis Kingpin |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Cross Country Trappin |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| High Class Street Music 4: American Gangster |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| High Class Street Music 5: The Plug Best Friend |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Felix Brothers (with Gucci Mane and Peewee Longway) |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| BagMen (with Peewee Longway) |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| 16 Zips |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Shittin' On The Industry |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Bosses & Shooters (with Jay Fizzle & Bino Brown) |
|
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Rich Crack Baby |
|
132 | 14 | 13 | |||||||||
| Gelato |
|
54 | 22 | 13 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Extended plays
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B/HH |
US Rap | ||
| Tracking Numbers (with Berner) |
|
— | — | — |
| Niggas Get Shot Everyday |
|
59 | 29 | 24 |
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USBub. |
US R&B/HH |
USMain.R&B/HH | ||||
| "Get Paid" | 2016 | — | — | — | King of Memphis | |
| "Play Wit Yo Bitch" | 2017 | — | — | — |
|
Gelato |
| "100 Shots" | 10 | 49 | — |
|
Bulletproof | |
| "Bagg" (featuring Lil Yachty) |
— | — | — | Gelato | ||
| "While U Here" | — | — | — | Thinking Out Loud | ||
| "Believe Me" | — | — | — | |||
| "Drippy" | — | — | — | |||
| "Major" (featuring Key Glock) |
2018 | 1 | 47 | 18 |
|
Role Model |
| "Sunshine" | 2020 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "RNB" (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) |
1 | 46 | 5 |
|
Rich Slave | |
| "Blue Diamond" | — | — | — | |||
| "Death Row" | — | — | — | |||
| "Aspen" (with Key Glock) |
2021 | — | — | 29 | Dum and Dummer 2 | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B/HH |
US Rap |
USMain.R&B/HH | ||||
| "California" (Colonel Loud featuring T.I., Ricco Barrino and Young Dolph) |
2015 | — | 32 | 21 | 8 | California EP | |
| "Cut It" (O.T. Genasis featuring Young Dolph) |
35 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
|
Rhythm & Bricks | |
| "Bling Blaww Burr" (Gucci Mane featuring Young Dolph) |
2016 | — | — | — | — | Woptober | |
| "Downfall" (Lil Durk featuring Young Dolph) |
2018 | — | — | — | — | Signed to the Streets 3 | |
| "Drip Like Dis" (Bankroll Freddie featuring Lil Baby and Young Dolph) |
2019 | — | — | — | 23 | From Trap to Rap | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
Other charted songs
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
USR&B/HH |
USMain.R&B/HH | |||
| "Preach" | 2014 | — | — | 24 | Cross Country Trappin and High Class Street Music 4 |
| "Pulled Up" (featuring 2 Chainz and Juicy J) |
2015 | — | — | 39 | High Class Street Music 5 |
| "Get Paid" | 2016 | — | — | 35 | King of Memphis |
| "Royalty" | — | — | 33 | ||
| "Stunting Ain't Nuthin" (Gucci Mane featuring Slim Jxmmi and Young Dolph) |
2017 | 95 | 39 | — | Mr. Davis |
| "Go Get Sum Mo" (featuring Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and Ty Dolla Sign) |
— | — | 29 | Thinking Out Loud | |
| "By Mistake" | 2018 | — | — | 36 | Role Model |
| "Water on Water on Water" (with Key Glock) |
2019 | — | — | 35 | Dum and Dummer |
| "Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up" | 2020 | — | — | — | Rich Slave |
| "Penguins" (with Key Glock) |
2021 | — | — | — | Dum and Dummer 2 |
Notes