Explosive testimony in the ongoing murder trial of Memphis rapper Young Dolph has shed new light on the chilling circumstances surrounding his killing, suggesting that any artist tied to his Paper Route Empire (PRE) label could have been a target.
Cornelius Smith, one of the accused shooters, testified that after learning of a $100,000 bounty allegedly placed on Young Dolph by Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, the brother of rapper Yo Gotti, he and co-defendant Justin Johnson set out with little regard for who might fall victim.
“We were looking for somebody… we didn’t know who we were going to catch,” Smith admitted under oath.
According to Smith, Big Jook placed a six-figure hit on Young Dolph and smaller bounties on other PRE artists. Smith and Johnson believed Dolph and members of his label would be present at a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway. When they spotted Dolph’s signature camouflage-wrapped car on November 17, 2021, they followed it to Makeda’s Homemade Cookies, where the rapper was gunned down in broad daylight.
Prosecutors allege that Big Jook pushed Johnson to kill Dolph as a way of securing favor with Collective Music Group (CMG), Yo Gotti’s record label. Smith testified that the payout was supposed to be split: $40,000 each for him and Johnson, and $20,000 for Hernandez Govan, the alleged mastermind.
Young Dolph was struck 22 times and died at the scene. Smith admitted he carried a semi-automatic weapon during the ambush. The rapper’s brother returned fire, wounding Smith in the shoulder, arm, and leg.
Despite the promised six-figure payment, Smith received just $800 before his arrest. His attorney later collected $50,000 on his behalf.
The murder case has sprawled across multiple defendants:
- Justin Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder in September 2024 and sentenced to life in prison.
- Hernandez Govan, accused of orchestrating the hit, is currently standing trial on murder and conspiracy charges.
- Cornelius Smith has not yet faced trial but remains charged with murder and conspiracy.
- Jermarcus Johnson, Justin’s half-brother, pleaded guilty to being an accessory and was sentenced to six years’ probation.
The alleged financier of the plot, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, never faced trial. He was fatally shot on January 13, 2024, outside Perignon’s Restaurant and Event Center in Memphis, during a repass for a family member. Police believe he was the target of a retaliatory attack. Hours before his death, he had posted a warning on social media:
“They don’t want to face you they wanna snake you. Stay alert 2 stay alive watch your back at all times.”
The testimony highlights how Young Dolph’s refusal to sign with CMG escalated into a violent feud. Dolph, who chose independence with his PRE label, openly clashed with Yo Gotti and his camp in diss tracks.
The rapper had already survived multiple assassination attempts, including a 2017 shooting in Los Angeles that left him hospitalized, and a separate incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, where his SUV was shot more than 100 times. That attack inspired his track “100 Shots.”
Smith’s testimony underscores a disturbing reality: the killing was not a precise assassination but part of a broader campaign of violence. With bounties placed on the entire PRE roster, any of its artists could have been gunned down that November afternoon.
