Adolph "Young Dolph" Thornton, Jr., a rapper, songwriter and entrepreneur, was born on July 27, 1985. He began his career in music while in Memphis, Tennessee, after years of criminal activities. In 2010, he founded his own label, Paper Route Empire, and amassed over 10 million records in his lifetime. He was the second cousin of fellow rapper, Chicago-based Juice WRLD. He released singles like "Preach" (2014) and "Cut It" (2015 with O.T. Genasis). On November 17, 2021, while visiting a cookie shop in Memphis, three gunmen infiltrated the property and opened fire, shooting and killing Dolph, aged 36. His death occurred eleven days before the death of his close friend, Virgil Abloh, from cancer.
