Before becoming the influential rapper we know as Young Dolph, Adolph Thornton Jr. was cutting more than just beats—he was cutting hair. Born to parents battling addiction, Dolph’s upbringing was anything but easy. Raised by his grandmother in Memphis, he began to defy the odds early, finding creative ways to make money. From the ages of 12 to 15, Dolph was a proud barber, cutting hair for classmates at Hamilton High School.
Barbering, after all, takes an entrepreneurial spirit. It’s more than just clippers and fades—it’s about building relationships, managing clients, and creating a business from the ground up. Even at a young age, Dolph showed the mindset of a hustler, finding ways to stack dollars while learning the skills of customer service, time management, and self-promotion.
While many saw him as the neighborhood barber and weed man, Dolph’s entrepreneurial drive pushed him beyond the chair. By the age of 16, he shifted his hustle from barbering to the streets, constantly seeking new ways to grow and succeed. His skills with clippers reflected his business mindset long before he became a country trap rapper, laying the foundation for his rise in the music industry.
Young Dolph was more than a rapper; he was a businessman at heart, embodying the grind from barbershop to studio. Tragically, his life was cut short at 36 on November 17, 2021, but his legacy as an artist and entrepreneur lives on.
Comments