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Young Dolph was shot and killed in November 2021 in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Last week, the man who allegedly masterminded his murder rejected a plea deal, paving the way for a trial on August 18th.

Hernandez Govan has been accused of coordinating the attack in a local bakery called Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies. Prosecutors alleged he arranged the hit from behind the scenes, stemming from a longtime feud.

Co-defendant Cornelius Smith has already accepted a plea deal, claiming it was a contract killing. He alleged that Yo Gotti’s brother, Anthony ‘Big Jook’ Mims, ordered the hit for $100,000.

Smith claimed Govan was an intermediary, telling him and Justin Johnson they would be paid $40,000 each to murder Dolph, which didn’t happen. He claimed they received $800 each.

Dolph (real name Adolph Thornton) died at the age of 36. He’s best known for songs like ‘Major’, ‘1 Scale’, and ‘100 Shots’, each with over 150million Spotify streams.

In a statement following his death, his family wrote, “There are no words that exist that sufficiently express the pain we are feeling. Losing Adolph, Dolph, Man-Man, changes our lives forever. And while we will take each day as it comes, we are comforted in knowing that he leaves a legacy that reflects his heart.

“A heart that was for his family. A heart that was for the people. We are grateful for the outpouring of love. We are grateful that his godly obligation to show kindness to the world is being acknowledged. As a family, we were blessed to call him our son, our nephew, our brother, our cousin, our partner and our Father. And now, we have the honour of calling him our angel. A role he has always played.”