The unfolding trial for the murder of Memphis rap legend, Young Dolph, took an unexpected and dramatic turn this week when one of the accused shooters, Cornelius Smith, delivered a chilling confession from the witness stand. His testimony did more than admit to the heinous crime; it unraveled a twisted web of financial greed, betrayal, and a targeted assassination, allegedly orchestrated by Big Jook, the now-deceased brother of rapper Yo Gotti.
Smith’s admission in court was a bombshell that reverberated through the courtroom, the city of Memphis, and across the wider hip-hop community, who are still grappling with the loss of one of their own in a cold, premeditated attack. For over two years, speculation, accusations, and unanswered questions surrounded the murder of Young Dolph, born Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., as fans, friends, and family searched for justice. Now, with Smith’s confession, the curtain has been pulled back to reveal the horrifying details of the plot that led to Dolph’s death outside his favorite cookie shop on November 17, 2021.
Dolph was more than just a local icon. He was a symbol of hope, perseverance, and success in Memphis, having risen from the city’s poverty-stricken streets to become a celebrated rapper and businessman. Known for his philanthropy and commitment to giving back to his community, Dolph’s senseless murder left many stunned and devastated. Now, as the trial progresses, Smith’s testimony paints a dark and complex picture of betrayal that stretches far beyond the streets of Memphis.
The Confession:
Smith began his testimony by recounting the events of that fateful day, and his words carried a chilling detachment. He admitted, with little emotion, that he was the man seen in the surveillance footage firing a semi-automatic weapon in broad daylight, aiming to take the life of the man who had become a pillar of the community. According to Smith, his actions were motivated not by personal animosity toward Dolph, but by greed—a promised payday of $100,000 to be split between him, his accomplice Justin Johnson, and another figure implicated in the murder: Hernandez Govan, Smith’s former drug dealer.
In court, Smith’s voice was flat as he explained how he and Johnson were recruited for the job. It was Govan, he testified, who informed them of the bounty placed on Dolph’s head by Big Jook. Govan’s role was pivotal—he was not only the one to pass on the information about the hit, but also someone who had a long-standing connection to the world of drugs and street crime. According to Smith, Govan was a trusted middleman who facilitated the transaction, but the orders—and the money—came directly from Big Jook, a major player in Memphis’s criminal underworld, and the brother of rapper Yo Gotti.
Big Jook, who was murdered in January 2024, was rumored to have been involved in the ongoing tension between Yo Gotti’s camp and Young Dolph, a rivalry that had been simmering for years. Though much of it played out in music and social media exchanges, many suspected the beef ran much deeper and involved real street ties. Now, with Smith’s testimony, the speculation of a direct connection between the feud and Dolph’s death has been confirmed in a court of law.
The Planning:
Smith recounted the lead-up to the murder in detail, describing how he and Johnson had only known each other for a few months before they were roped into the murder-for-hire scheme. Their bond was forged not through friendship but out of mutual ambition and desperation for money. They were both promised a substantial payout, Smith said—$40,000 each, with the remaining $10,000 going to Govan. However, Smith’s recollection of the financial arrangements left some lingering questions, as his arithmetic didn’t quite add up. At one point, he even admitted that when all was said and done, he only managed to take home $800, a paltry sum considering the magnitude of the crime they had committed.
Smith described the days leading up to the hit with startling clarity. He and Johnson had been stalking Dolph, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. They knew that the rapper, who was well-known for his generosity, had been participating in a turkey drive leading up to Thanksgiving, an annual event where he gave away meals to families in need. “We knew he had a turkey drive all week,” Smith testified, his words cold and matter-of-fact, “we just ain’t know when we was gonna get him.”
It was during this time that they trailed Dolph to one of his favorite local spots: Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies, a small family-owned shop in South Memphis. Dolph was a frequent customer there, known for his love of the cookies, and on November 17, 2021, he stopped in to make a purchase, unaware that he was being watched by his killers.
The Shooting:
Smith’s recollection of the shooting itself was disturbingly casual. He told the court that as Dolph stood by the window of the shop, he got out of the car and opened fire, without hesitation. The security footage from the scene, which had circulated widely in the media, showed the horrifying moment when Dolph, completely unarmed and unsuspecting, was gunned down in broad daylight. Smith claimed that at the time of the shooting, he wasn’t feeling anything—no remorse, no fear, no regret. “I wasn’t feeling nothing at the time,” he said, “I was just trying to get some money.”
As the bullets flew, chaos erupted outside the cookie shop. But Dolph’s brother, who was with him that day, returned fire. In the exchange of gunfire, Smith was shot in his shoulder, arm, and leg. Despite his injuries, he managed to flee the scene and later patched himself up with a medical kit at a nearby apartment. The fact that Dolph’s brother fought back in an attempt to protect him added a layer of tragedy to the story—a desperate, yet ultimately unsuccessful effort to save his sibling’s life.
After the shooting, Smith said, they made a hurried escape, still reeling from the firefight. But their mission wasn’t over yet. In one of the most damning pieces of his testimony, Smith revealed that they FaceTimed Big Jook after the murder to confirm that the hit had been carried out successfully. It was a chilling moment, not only because it demonstrated the cold, transactional nature of the killing but also because it implicated Big Jook as the mastermind behind the entire operation.
The Aftermath:
In the days and weeks that followed the murder, the city of Memphis was in mourning. Fans of Young Dolph held vigils, and tributes poured in from all over the world as people expressed their shock and sorrow over the loss of a man who had given so much to his community. But behind the scenes, the killers were living with the consequences of their actions.
For Smith, those consequences became harder to bear over time. He testified that after the shooting, he began to feel a sense of guilt creeping in. He started to have second thoughts about what he had done, and it was this growing conscience that ultimately led him to confess in court. His decision to come clean, however, wasn’t purely altruistic. As the trial unfolded, it became clear that Smith was attempting to save himself from a harsher sentence by cooperating with the prosecution.
But the revelations didn’t end with Smith’s testimony. As he pointed the finger at his co-defendant, Justin Johnson, accusing him of being the second shooter and the one who fired a handgun during the attack, he also implicated Hernandez Govan as an integral part of the conspiracy. These accusations have thrown the entire case into sharp relief, as the trial, which wasn’t expected to last beyond this week, now seems to be moving toward a conclusion faster than anyone anticipated.
The trial has captivated Memphis and the broader hip-hop community, as it not only seeks justice for the senseless killing of Young Dolph but also exposes the darker side of the rap world, where rivalries, financial interests, and street politics can sometimes lead to violence. For Dolph’s family, friends, and fans, the hope is that justice will finally be served, though no sentence can ever bring back the beloved artist.
As the courtroom drama continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the murder of Young Dolph was not a random act of violence. It was a carefully planned hit, carried out by individuals motivated by money and directed by forces behind the scenes who used street ties to settle scores. And now, with Smith’s confession on record, the full extent of that plan is finally coming to light.
The pain of Dolph’s loss will likely be felt for years to come, not just in Memphis but across the entire music industry, where his talent and philanthropy left a lasting legacy. His fans, who have turned #LongLiveDolph into a rallying cry on social media, are determined to keep his memory alive, even as the trial reveals the heartbreaking details of his final moments.
As the trial edges toward its conclusion, the question remains: will Smith’s confession and the prosecution’s case be enough to bring closure to one of the most high-profile murders in recent Memphis history? Only time will tell, but the impact of Young Dolph’s death, and the story of how it all unfolded, will resonate long after the final verdict is delivered.
