A decade-long feud rooted in the Memphis rap scene has culminated in a brutal, public cycle of vengeance, leaving two men dead on camera and a murder investigation frozen in time. The alleged orchestration of Young Dolph’s murder by Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, older brother of rap mogul Yo Gotti, was met with his own fatal shooting at a family repass, a killing that remains unsolved over two years later.
The violent symmetry is inescapable. Young Dolph was executed in broad daylight at a Memphis bakery on November 17, 2021, with surveillance footage capturing his murder. Prosecutors later alleged Big Jook, as CMG’s number two, ordered the hit, placing a $100,000 bounty on Dolph’s head over a rejected label deal and years of diss tracks. Big Jook himself was then gunned down on January 13, 2024, outside a funeral repass, with footage of his final moments spreading rapidly online.
This grim parallel has cemented a narrative of street justice playing out in full view of the public and the police. The Memphis Police Department’s investigation into Big Jook’s murder has yielded no arrests, with the only public lead being grainy images of a white Ford Explorer used as a getaway vehicle. The case is officially cold, a stark contrast to the successful prosecution of Dolph’s killers.
The origins of the conflict trace back to 2014, when Yo Gotti, an established force in Memphis, pursued a label deal with the fiercely independent Young Dolph. Dolph publicly refused, citing a lack of respect after Gotti disparaged his own artists during their first meeting. This business rejection spiraled into a years-long war marked by diss tracks, social media taunts, and multiple attempted hits on Dolph’s life in 2017.
Dolph’s 2021 murder trial for shooter Justin Johnson became the forum where prosecutors formally tied Big Jook to the crime. Testimony revealed a detailed plot financed by Jook, who promised cash and a record deal to the assailants. Star witness and triggerman Cornelius Smith testified that the shooters confirmed the kill via FaceTime to Big Jook immediately afterward.
Prior to the trial, Big Jook’s own social media behavior fueled speculation. In a live stream following Dolph’s death, he was seen laughing and stating, “CMG don’t miss twice.” This clip was later cited as chilling evidence of his involvement, painting a picture of a man who showed no remorse for the alleged orchestration.
The fallout from Jook’s murder sent shockwaves through the Memphis music community. Fellow artists immediately warned others to leave the city, recognizing the escalating danger. Yo Gotti, who has never been charged in connection with any of the violence, has largely maintained a lower public profile since his brother’s death, focusing on his expanding business empire.
Gotti’s public philosophy has long championed economic escape as the ultimate victory. “Obviously, to get money, move to a better place, move your people out the hood… that’s the goal to me. That’s the real street to me,” he once stated. This sentiment underscores the tragedy: the central figures had achieved monumental financial success yet remained trapped in a cycle of retaliation.
The unresolved nature of Big Jook’s murder hangs heavily over Memphis. With no suspects named and no motive officially confirmed by police, the silence from the streets is deafening. The investigation remains open but inactive, a cold case file that symbolizes the paralyzing grip of street codes and unanswered violence.
This saga presents a devastating portrait of how pride, perceived disrespect, and the pursuit of retribution can unravel lives despite the attainment of wealth and status. Two high-profile murders, both captured on surveillance video, serve as grim monuments to a feud that outlived its original participants, leaving a community grappling with loss and a justice system seemingly unable to break the cycle.