Young Dolph Trial: Prosecutor Alleges Yo Gotti’s Brother Ordered $100K Hit on Rapper

The murder trial of Young Dolph began with explosive revelations, as a prosecutor alleged a conspiracy involving the rapper’s 2021 death, which tied in with Yo Gotti’s late brother.

Justin “Straight Drop” Johnson, one of the suspects, went on trial on Monday (September 23). During opening statements, Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman claimed that Johnson and Cornelius Smith, the other accused gunman, had meetings with Yo Gotti’s brother, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, before Dolph’s murder.

According to Hagerman, “Big Jook, the number two guy at [Yo Gotti’s label] CMG, put out a $100,000 hit on Dolph,” as reported by Memphis’ Fox 13. He added that Jook had met with Johnson and Smith as they prepared to carry out the crime.

Hagerman suggested that Johnson, an aspiring rapper, sought the money to further his music career.

The feud between Young Dolph and Yo Gotti had a lengthy history, dating back to 2016. In 2017, one of Gotti’s associates was arrested in connection to a shooting targeting Dolph but was later released without charges.

In January of this year, Big Jook was killed in what authorities suspected was a targeted attack. As of June, Memphis police had no updates on the investigation into his death.

Due to extensive media coverage in Memphis, Johnson’s attorney requested an out-of-county jury for the trial. The jury now includes individuals from outside Shelby County, Tennessee.

Johnson and Cornelius Smith face charges of first-degree murder, along with additional felony counts related to Dolph’s killing. A third suspect, Hernandez Govan, is accused of orchestrating the hit on the rapper, whose real name was Adolph Thornton, Jr.

Young Dolph was fatally shot in November 2021 when two men exited a stolen Mercedes-Benz and fired into a Memphis bakery, with the incident captured on CCTV.

Additionally, Jemarcus Johnson has pleaded guilty to three counts of acting as an accessory after the murder but has not yet been sentenced.