Justin Johnson For Murder Of Rapper Young Dolph In Broad Daylight

On Tuesday, the Memphis Police Department arrested suspect Justin Johnson, 23, for the November 17 killing of rapper Young Dolph, 36, who is also known as Straight Drop or Straight Dropp. The rapper was shot and killed in broad daylight while visiting Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies, a shop in South Memphis he was known to go frequently.

Cornelius Smith was also indicted in the case on a slew of charges connected to the murder.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to Johnson’s capture. “We need your help to find Justin Johnson, wanted by [the Memphis Police Department] and TBI for 1st Degree Murder, and Theft of Property $10,000-$60,000.”

Rapper Young Dolph, 36, whose real name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was originally born in Chicago in 1985. He released his first album in 2008 and has since got recognition. In 2020, Dolph’s fifth studio album, Rich Slave, hit No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart. His success attracted many fans attention to Memphis. “Memphis wasn’t hot before Dolph came out,” he said in the Everyday Struggle interview. “Dolph put the light on Memphis.”

Young Dolph’s aunt, Rita Myers, told Rolling Stone that the family is still reeling from her nephew’s killing. “We still feel the same,” she said. “This news just made me feel worse. I thought it would make me feel better, but it didn’t. All I know is, anyone who could walk up and take the life of another person for no reason is someone with hate in their heart, a person who has no regard for life, a person who cares about nothing.”