Young Dolph laid to rest in Memphis
The 36-year-old rapper was killed by a fatal gunshot November 17.
Rapper Young Dolph was laid to rest Tuesday in his native city of Memphis. The 36-year-old rapper, whose real is name Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot dead in Memphis Nov. 17, as theGrio previously reported.
His funeral began with a private service at First Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements were handled through N.J. Ford & Sons Funeral Home, which provided photos of the service, including the hearse and procession, as reported by PEOPLE.
“Speaking on behalf of the management and staff of N.J. Ford & Sons Funeral Home, we’re terribly saddened about the sudden demise of Adolph ‘Main Man’ Thornton Jr.,” reads a social media post from N.J. Ford & Sons. “We’re truly honored to be chosen to provide the professional services to the Thornton and P. R. E. family and we pray that our services exceeded each of your expectations! Our prayers are continuously extended to each of you. God bless.”
On the same day as the funeral, Thornton’s partner, Mia Jaye, posted a tribute video on her Instagram page, with the caption, “Long Live My King… My Heart… My Soulmate…. I love you,” accompanied by an infinity emoji. The two shared two children together, son Tre and daughter Ari.
The rapper made his solo debut in 2016 with his album King of Memphis. He continued to release solo material under his own record label, Paper Route Empire. He achieved his highest-charting success with his seventh album, Rich Slave, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200.
Thornton had many guest verses on fellow rappers’ tracks; O.T. Genasis’ double-platinum single “Cut It.” was one of his biggest hits.
Thornton was known as a pillar of the Memphis community. He gained success and recognition as an independent rap artist and constantly paid it forward, donating to several local charities, including a $25,000 donation to the athletic department of his alma mater, Hamilton High School. Thornton was scheduled to hand out turkeys at the St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis on Nov. 19, two days after his death.
In honor of Thornton, members of Paper Route Empire, as well as community activists and church volunteers, went forward with the turkey giveaway. They handed out dozens of free turkeys, stuffing mix and cranberry sauce to people driving past the church.
Thornton’s last on-camera interview occurred during a visit to the West Cancer Clinic and Research Center near Memphis. He was there to speak with the clinical staff and show his appreciation for their work. The clinic treated several members of Thornton’s family over the years.
Thornton’s killer is still at large and an investigation remains underway.
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