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Young Dolph’s death prompts outpouring of tributes from Deion Sanders, LL Cool J, more

Young Dolph, seen here in 2017 performing at the Staples Center in LA, was killed during a shooting at a cookie shop, a law enforcement source confirmed. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET)

(NEXSTAR) – News of the death of rapper Young Dolph, who was reportedly gunned down in Memphis Wednesday, prompted an outpouring of grief on social media.

Dolph, whose real name is Adolph Thorton Jr., was killed during a shooting at a cookie shop, a law enforcement source told Nexstar’s WREG.


The 36-year-old rapper’s first album, “King of Memphis,” rocketed up the Billboard 200 chart to the 49th spot in 2016.

Among those mourning the rapper’s death Wednesday was former NFL star and current college football coach Deion Sanders, who tweeted a heartfelt prayer after hearing the news: “Lord help us as a people stop the hate, the violence and the hopelessness. When we realize we matter others will as well. Lord help us right now.”

Sanders, who coaches the Jackson State football team, also shared images of himself and Dolph:

Sources said Young Dolph was shot and killed at Makeda’s Butter Cookies, which posted a video of the rapper stopping by in July. Dolph was known for giving back to the local community, WREG reports. He met with rapper Key Glock outside a Memphis cancer center Monday to give away 200 turkeys and donated $25,000 last year to the Memphis high school he attended

News of Young Dolph’s death reverberated in the hip-hop community with artists posting heartfelt messages Wednesday: