Young Dolph Cause of Death, a Memphis Rapper, Has Died at the Scene
Young Dolph, a prominent rapper who made his name in Memphis and was credited with showing tough street life through his music, died from gunshot wounds to his head, neck and torso. The rap community is mourning the loss of the 36-year-old after he was shot and killed during a visit to Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies, a popular bakery in South Memphis, on November 17th.
He had been visiting the area for his annual turkey giveaway, a tradition that he had started in 2010 and was known for. The father of two, who had remained in Memphis since 2010, was set to deliver the turkeys when he was murdered.
The Memphis rapper was a pillar in his community, a respected figure who organized Thanksgiving turkey giveaways and donated thousands of dollars to local schools. He also paid rent and covered funeral costs for people in the Castalia Heights neighborhood, where he was raised.
According to authorities, the rapper was murdered in a drive-by shooting at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies on November 17. An autopsy report shows that Young Dolph died from multiple gunshot wounds to his head, neck, and torso.
His death has brought the city of Memphis to a standstill and sparked an international outpouring of grief from the rap community. He had been a major force in the Memphis music scene, producing a string of mixtapes and albums that helped him reach the top of the Billboard 200.
An autopsy of his body showed that he had 22 gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
He is one of many Memphis based artists who have been tragically killed in recent years. Others include Pop Smoke, XXXTentacion, Nipsey Hussle and King Von.
The shooting drew attention to the high rate of homicide in Memphis, which has seen more than 300 homicides in the past year. Police are investigating the incident and have not yet identified suspects.
Another rapper, Key Glock, released a tribute track to Dolph in January. Paper Route Empire, the label he founded, celebrated Dolph’s life with Long Live Dolph, a compilation mixtape that included a track by Key Glock entitled “Proud.”
In an effort to find answers about his murder, the police have issued a series of tweets and are asking anyone with information to call the Memphis Police Department at 901-528-CASH. They have also requested a copy of the surveillance video from the time of Young Dolph’s death.
It was the first time in 2022 that a Memphis based rapper was murdered and he was shot 22 times, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. It’s unclear what the motive was for the killing, but it is thought that young Dolph had a cocky and brash demeanor, which may have drew assailants to him.
His death also sparked an outpouring of grief from the Memphis music community and he was mourned on social media. Several members of the rap community wished him peace and shared their condolences on Twitter.
