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Young Dolph’s favorite color was blue, and the color appeared on FedExForum Thursday in support of the “Celebration of Life†event in his honor.
Young Dolph, whose first name was Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., was shot dead in Memphis on November 17. Fans gathered on Thursday to celebrate the life and legacy of one of their favorite Memphis rappers.
Melissa Edwards, 26, wore a powder blue crew-neck sweatshirt with matching Jordan 1s. Her shirt read, “Black men deserve to age,” the phrase coined by Dolph’s life partner Mia Jerdine during the campaign she launched in August.
“I know it was his favorite color,†Edwards said. “He loved that all his chains were adorned with blue diamonds. His watches, his grilles. That’s why I chose to wear blue today.”
Although Dolph is widely known for his music, his friends, family, and fans have detailed his impact in Memphis beyond his hit songs.
YOUNG DOLPH LIFE CELEBRATION:Young Dolph is remembered for his generosity, his commitment to Memphis, as a “man after the heart of God”
YOUNG DOLPH SERVICE DAY:November 17 is now Adolph ‘Young Dolph’ Thornton Jr.’s day of service in Tennessee, Georgia.
Jeremy Gilcrest, 30, attended the memorial service with his cousin and wife. He remembers listening to old Dolph music on CDs and attending a show early in his career where the rapper threw money into the crowd.
“Most of his music was motivating. Every time I listened to it it got me going. Every morning. Everything I wanted to do, it got me going,†Gilcrest said of his favorite song, “Rockin ‘ “.
Many fans seemed to have had personal experiences with Dolph, who grew up in the community of Castalia Heights.
Tay Curry, 38, a resident of Castalia for 25 years, remembers seeing Dolph at a barbershop in East Memphis.
“I am here to celebrate his life, his music, the impact he has on the city,” he said. “You kinda always see Dolph. If you drive on 240, you’ll see his camouflage car driving down the street. You see him in South Memphis, Castalia, the barbershops, right in town.”
YOUNG DAUPH AT MEMPHIS:Adolph ‘Young Dolph’ Thornton, Jr. Avenue: Memphis Street Renamed After Rapper Unveiling
HOW YOUNG DOLPH RECEIVED:Young Dolph’s legacy lives on in community outreach and turkey giveaways
Kimmi Randle, 28, said her favorite memory of Dolph, a friend of her brother’s, is when he gave her a FaceTime to congratulate her after her kidney transplant.
“Young Dolph meant a lot to me just because he knew him personally and became a fan,†she said.
Teon Hollowell, 37, worked in the hospitality industry and remembers running a Hilton hotel where Dolph stayed in Memphis. Due to understaffing, Hollowell had to work at the front desk, for which she said Dolph applauded her.
“He was just a really nice person,†she said. “Just a versatile man giving props to a woman of color working in leadership. He really supported that.”
Hollowell, from Orange Mound, also encouraged people their age to do more good in the community. “We need more people in our age group [giving back to the community], and he was an example of that, â€she said.
Astrid Kayembe covers southern Memphis, Whitehaven and Westwood. She can be reached at [email protected], (901) 304-7929 or on Twitter @astridkayembe_.
