Prosecutors in Young Dolph ’s murder trial have alleged that Anthony “Big Jook” Mims placed a $100,000 bounty on the rapper, which led to his death by shooting on November 17, 2021. Mims, the brother of Dolph’s rival Memphis rapper Yo Gotti, was himself fatally shot on January 13, 2024. Two men, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith Jr, have been charged with first-degree murder over the shooting of 36-year-old Dolph , whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr, at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis.
Johnson pleaded not guilty, and his trial began today. Smith is testifying against him. Fox 13 Memphis reports that Smith testified that he and Johnson were told by a third man, Hernandez Govan, that Mims had placed a “hit on Dolph’s head” worth $100,000.
Smith said that he and Johnson agreed to the hit, with both men giving $10,000 to Govan and keeping $40,000 each for themselves. On the day of the shooting, Smith said Johnson picked him up in a white Mercedes Benz. They knew Young Dolph would be in Memphis for a Thanksgiving food drive, and set out to find him.
Smith said that in the backseat of the car was a semi-automatic weapon known as a Draco and a handgun. Smith said that he and Johnson soon spotted Young Dolph’s custom car. “We were like, ‘There goes Dolph right there’,” said Smith.
According to Smith’s testimony, the pair followed Dolph to Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies. Smith said they “made the block”, “pulled up the backway,”.