Rapper Young Dolph was fatally shot outside a Memphis bakery he’d declared his love for just days earlier, according to local station FOX13.
The 36-year-old rapper, whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., walked into the bakery, Makeda’s Butter Cookies, to buy two treats, owner Maurice Hill told the station. As Thornton left, a car pulled up, and someone shot and killed him around 1 p.m.
Thorton’s slaying comes just a week after he gushed about the bakery in a post on its Instagram page, pointing to the establishment’s sign and urging people to go.
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“All I came for is to get some Makeda’s,” he said in the post.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland condemned the tragic killing on Twitter Wednesday, though he urged the public to remain calm as authorities worked to find those responsible.
“The tragic shooting death of rap artist Young Dolph serves as another reminder of the pain that violent crime brings with it,” Strickland wrote. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
The rapper debuted with his 2016 record King of Memphis after featuring on O.T. Genesis’ hit single “Cut It” in 2015. Thornton released his fifth studio album Rich Slave, featuring guest appearances by Megan Thee Stallion and Juicy J, last year to positive reviews. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, his highest-ranking album on the chart.
Tributes for the rapper began to pour in shortly after news of his death broke. Megan the Stallion, who was featured on his song “RNB,” referred to Thornton as a “real legend” in an Instagram post.
“Everybody that know me knows I play this man music EVERY DAY !” she wrote. “He was so genuine so real so kind to me.”
Gucci Mane called him “my friend” in a tribute tweet. “This broke my heart,” he wrote.
“I CANT BELIEVE THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW,” rapper JPEGMAFIA tweeted.
