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Justin Johnson, one of two individuals who were charged with gunning down popular Memphis rapper Young Dolph in 2021, has been sentenced to life behind bars. Also known as a hopeful rapper under the stage name Straight Drop, Justin Johnson’s case was deliberated in just under four hours according to local reports.
Justin Johnson, 26, was found guilty on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and felon in possession of a firearm. Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Mitchell read the verdict on Thursday (September 26). Jurors heard three days of testimony and closing arguments on the fourth day. According to reports, Johnson did not take the stand during the hearings.
The sister of Young Dolph shared a statement with the media after Johnson’s verdict was heard:
On Nov. 17, 2021, our lives changed forever. A son, a father, a brother, a friend, a businessman, a music artist, a philanthropist, and life partner are among just some of the titles that my brother Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. held. Titles that have now left a missing piece in the lives of so many. I want to thank the jury for their service and decision in this case to bring us one step closer to justice for our family, friends, supporters, and the community that has supported us during this time.
…
“We realize this act of violence has impacted so many outside of our family and friends. Your outpouring of love and support throughout this process does not go unnoticed. We ask that instead of focusing on those who committed this crime, you focus on that man that Adolph Robert Thornton was. Regardless of the name that you may know him as, such as Adolph, Dolph, or Young Dolph, we ask you to remember the man that enjoyed being a father and spending time with his family. We ask that you remember the man who enjoyed giving opportunities to those who were often overlooked and counted out. We ask that you remember the man who enjoyed giving back to others and being an inspiration to those who come from less than ideal backgrounds, and knowing that they are seen and can change their outcomes and the lives of others by doing something positive. We will continue to heal and keep Adolph’s legacy alive.
In addition, Young Dolph’s partner, Mia Jaye, shared a statement via Instagram with a picture of the rapper alongside his family.
—
Photo: Getty
Want to be a “Presley for a Day”? Here’s your chance. You and three of your closest friends can undertake a seven-hour insider experience at Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.
Before you get your heart set on the idea, we should warn you that this day doesn’t come cheap. The Presley for a Day Tour is $6,000 for a group of up to four people. (We tried to brace you so you wouldn’t get “All Shook Up,” though you may still choose to mark this one “Return to Sender.”)
A portion of the proceeds from each tour will go to support local Memphis charities through the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, with additional proceeds supporting Graceland’s ongoing commitment to the beautification, preservation, and enhancement of Presley’s home and grounds.
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Launching Sept. 6, the new Presley for a Day Tour will be limited to only eight guests per day and provide access to some of the Presley family’s favorite places on the Graceland grounds for the first time since it opened to the public in 1982.
Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy access to the family’s favorite activities with golf cart rides around the grounds, a horse photo op and guided walk through the home’s front pasture, and a “high-end dinner” at the newly renovated Moriah’s House, which is said to offer stunning views of Graceland’s landscape from the back pasture. (Moriah’s House was named after Lisa Marie Presley’s pony, which was once housed there.)
The Presley for a Day Tour is just the first of many events, tours and expansions that will be announced over the next three years as Graceland prepares for the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ death on Aug. 16, 1977. The legendary star was just 42 at the time, and had been famous for half of his life. His death, in the era before Entertainment Tonight and TMZ, before the Internet and social media, still set off shockwaves. Presley had been a superstar on records, in films and on TV for 21 years, with tremendous highs, a few lows, triumphant comebacks and a tragic end that is still hard to accept.
The culmination of Graceland’s “On the Road to 50” will be Elvis Week 2027, when Graceland hosts the largest gathering of Elvis fans from around the globe.
The Presley for a Day Tour is a seven-hour experience for a group of up to four people (two tour groups per day available) that includes:
Personalized Concierge Service: Concierge will work with guests to plan out their experience before arrival.
Personal Tour Guide: Guests will have their own personal tour guide throughout their entire experience.
Guided Tours: Tours of Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex and Elvis’ Airplanes with their dedicated guide, plus exclusive photo opportunities and special “white-glove artifact experiences.”
Golf Cart Transportation: Guests will be chauffeured around the Graceland property on a golf cart by their guide and treated to an outdoor tour of the mansion grounds.
Graceland Stable Tour & Horse Experience: Tour of the Graceland Stables before a guided walk on a horse through Graceland’s front pasture and photo op with horse with Graceland Mansion as a backdrop.
Access to Moriah’s House: Guests will have access to this newly restored space, located in the Graceland pasture, to relax and enjoy dinner, while taking in views of Graceland Mansion and surrounding grounds.
Elevated Dining Experience: High-end meal at Moriah’s House while enjoying views of Graceland from the enclosed deck. From Southern BBQ favorites to gourmet delights, this exclusive dining experience will be tailored to guest preferences.
Graceland Archives Experience: Guests can get a glimpse into the archival work that goes on behind-the-scenes at Graceland — from conservation work on one of Elvis’ sequined jumpsuits or cataloging one of the more than 90,000 photos.
After-Hours Graceland Mansion Tour: After their meal, guests enjoy a guided after-hours tour of Graceland Mansion with exclusive photo ops and white glove experiences.
Exclusive Swag Bag: Each guest will receive a bag of items (valued at more than $450), exclusive to Presley for a Day Tour guests.
For an additional fee (!), fans can stay overnight at Graceland’s resort hotel, The Guest House at Graceland, and enjoy such treats as banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, a favorite of the king. A specialty suite package offers personalized service, including breakfast-in-room service any time of day, charcuterie and champagne upon arrival, turndown service, plus a private midnight movie screening in the Guest House Theater. (Elvis starred in 33 movies – 31 in which he acted, from Love Me Tender in 1956 to Change of Habit in 1969, followed by two concert documentaries.)
Presley for a Day Tours are now available to book for dates starting Sept. 6 through January 2025 at Graceland.com. Find details here.
Graceland is open daily for tours and offers a variety of tour options. More information can be found at www.Graceland.com.
Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough won a court order Wednesday blocking a looming foreclosure sale of the late singer’s historic Memphis home Graceland, after her attorneys argued that the bizarre effort to sell the home was “fraudulent.”
At a hearing in Memphis court, Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins granted Keough’s request for a preliminary injunction that will block the mysterious foreclosure proceeding – initially set for Thursday – until he can rule on her case, according to court records reviewed by Billboard.
As reported by CNN, the judge said during the hearing that Keough would likely win her arguments — and that allowing the sale of the legendary mansion to go through in the meantime would cause her so-called irreparable harm.
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“The estate is considered unique under Tennessee law, and in being unique the loss of the real estate will be considered irreparable harm,” Jenkins said in the hearing.
In a case filed in Tennessee court last week, Keough alleged that the foreclosure was triggered by phony demands from a company called Naussany Investments – an entity that allegedly claims her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, borrowed $3.8 million and used the famed mansion as collateral.
The alleged loans are recorded in documents supplied by Naussany that feature Lisa Marie’s signature, but Keough’s lawyers say those records are “forgeries” and that she “did not in fact sign the documents.”
“These documents are fraudulent,” Keough’s attorneys write in their May 15 complaint, obtained by Billboard. “Lisa Marie Presley never borrowed money from Naussany Investments and never gave a deed of trust to Naussany Investments.”
Naussany (Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC) could not immediately be located for comment on Wednesday’s order. An attorney for Keough also did not return a request for comment.
When Elvis died in 1977, his daughter Lisa Marie inherited his estate, including Graceland — a tourist mecca that pulls in millions of dollars a year in revenue. Until her death last year, she served as trustee of the Promenade Trust, an entity that controls the Memphis mansion. When she passed away, Keough assumed that same role and took control of the property.
According to the lawsuit, Naussany alleges it made the multi-million dollar loan to Lisa Marie in 2018 and recorded the transaction in Florida. But Keough’s lawyers say that Naussany is “a false entity created for the purpose of defrauding the Promenade Trust,” orchestrated by a man named Kurt Naussany who has sent “numerous emails seeking to collect the purported $3.8 million debt.”
Keough’s attorneys say the evidence “strongly indicates the documents are forgeries” – most notably, that the notary who allegedly signed off on the transaction has confirmed that she did not do so. “Indeed, she confirmed she has never met Lisa Marie Presley nor notarized any document for her.”
Following Wednesday’s ruling, the case will now proceed toward more detailed litigation over the Keough’s allegations, and eventually toward a final ruling.
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Right-wing figure Kyle Rittenhouse fled the stage during his appearance at a college event in Memphis after being confronted by protesters.
Kyle Rittenhouse, who gained notoriety in 2021 after being acquitted of killing two people and wounding another during a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, fled off stage during an appearance after being confronted by protesters in the audience. The event at the University of Memphis on Wednesday (March 20), was hosted by members of the conservative Turning Point USA organization at the school.
As the event began, close to 200 protesters made their presence known with signs that read “put Rittenhouse behind bars not a podium” and “no killers on my campus” as Rittenhouse took the stage. One protester asked a question about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, saying that he “said a lot of racist things,” which prompted Rittenhouse to retort, “Like what? What racist things has Charlie Kirk said? We’re gonna have a bit of a dialogue of what racist things Charlie Kirk said.”
The protester was unmoved, and shot back: “He says that we shouldn’t celebrate Juneteenth, we shouldn’t celebrate Martin Luther King Day—we should be working those days. He called Ketanji Brown Jackson an affirmation action hire, he said all this nonsense about George Floyd and he said he’d be scared if a Black pilot was on a plane. Does that not seem racist?”
“I don’t know anything about that,” Rittenhouse replied, resulting in jeers from the audience. The questioner pressed him. “After all that I just told you, you wouldn’t consider that hate speech?” they asked. Rittenhouse replied, “I’m not gonna comment on that,” before storming off the stage amid a chorus of boos. The 21-year-old was only onstage for a half hour. A video of the moment posted on X, formerly Twitter, has since garnered 7 million views.
Rittenhouse would later claim in a series of posts on X that he wasn’t forced to leave. “No one forced me to leave the stage… The event was scheduled for 30 minutes and I was on stage for 30 minutes,” he wrote in one post, before adding: “What I find hilarious is that everyone is saying I was ‘chased’ out of Memphis, when in reality, we went to this restaurant called Huey’s, grabbed some food, and nobody seemed to care or notice.”
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Days after his brother was killed, Blac Youngsta has spoken out about it and he now wants revenge.
Last Friday (August 18th), local news networks reported that a man was shot to death while at a gas station in South Memphis, Tennessee earlier that morning. The rapper confirmed speculation on social media about the man being Blac Youngsta’s brother through his Instagram Stories on Sunday (August 20th).
https://x.com/beastbizz/status/1693418117660107153?s=46
“I Love U My Baby Brother Rest Up,” he wrote. “I’m Gone Make The World Pay. I Swear To God. Nobody Safe. Standing Over Everybody. Everybody. 4LIFE.” He’d continue: “I’m Ready For Whatever Come With This Shit. It’s Ok. Don’t Feel Sorry For Me. I’m Not Gone Feel Sorry For Nobody. Only God Knows.”
The Collective Music Group artist concluded: “Gone Make Sure They Feel Me. I Promise. Life Will Never Be The Same. But God Got Me. I’m The Strongest Man N The World.” Sadly, the death makes it the third brother that Blac Youngsta has lost in a violent manner. He spoke publicly about the death of Ronnie B, who was also shot and killed in a Facebook post in 2016. The rapper also lost his brother, a rising rapper who went by the name HeavyCamp TD in a shooting in Miami, Florida in 2019.
Tomanuel Benson was shot at the Valero B.P. gas station at 9:30 A.M. and was found on the scene by police officers. Law enforcement officials have not been vocal about their initial impressions of the incident, declining to say if there was a person of interest. They did ask the public to contact them if they heard anything. Witnesses who were nearby the gas station claimed they saw a vehicle drive by when shots rang out loudly, with one striking Benson. He would then be rushed to Regional Hospital, where he would succumb to his injuries. South Parkway East
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Just when it seemed like high-stakes sneaker theft was a thing of the past, thieves hit another major lick and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Nike sneakers this week. However, they didn’t get far.
According to WREG News 3, a group of men broke into a boxcar in North Memphis Monday (Aug. 14), and stole $400,000 worth of Nike’s in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately for them, police were quickly alerted to the robbery and showed up while the robbery was in process. With five cars parked on the scene of the crime including four Nissans and a Honda, police knew it was about to go down, and down it went.
WREG reports:
According to reports, multiple suspects were wearing dark clothing and ski masks. They were seen carrying multiple boxes from a train to their cars.
Officers attempted to stop some of the suspects, but four of them fled the scene on foot. After a chase, officers caught Terry Sullivan, who had a Nissan key in his front pocket.
Another suspect, Robert Doyle, ran inside the business warehouse, which MPD says only had one door. An employee locked him in, and police went in and saw him hiding under a large toolbox.
The other two suspects on foot got away.
During the incident, police say a black Nissan Maxima carrying more men sped past them and was able to get away.
As for Robert Doyle and Terry Sullivan, both men were booked and charged with five counts of Burglary of a Vehicle and Theft of Property $60,000 – $250,000. Don’t be surprised if they start dropping dime to escape doing a lengthy prison sentence. All over sneakers.
As crazy as these hits have become over the past few years, sneakerheads really just want to know which sneakers were stolen and whether or not it’ll affect their chances of getting the exclusive grails that are hard enough to cop as is. Did these thieves ransack a bunch of bricks that no one wants, or were they tipped off that this truck had some unreleased retro Jordans or SB Dunks that we’ve been waiting on?
We need some sneaker police on these cases to let us know so we can be either horrified, or breathe a sigh of relief. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think? Sound off in the comments section below.
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Welcome back to New And Making Noise, your source for the hottest new artists making waves in music right now. In this episode, Memphis rapper and Young Dolph protégé, Key Glock, joins hosts Incognito, DJ Misses and A-Plus in the studio to talk about his latest album Glockoma 2 as he goes back on tour.
Fresh off the success of his album Glockoma 2, the first project he released since the tragic loss of his cousin and mentor Young Dolph, Glock is back on the road performing live with “bigger venues” and “more energy” than his last tour. “The energy is going to be there anyway, but we might cause a little earthquake,” he says.
Glock came up as a young artist under Dolph, the Memphis icon tragically lost to gun violence in his hometown in 2021.
The late rapper found success in creating music for his Memphis community and achieved mainstream success with chart-topping tracks like “Major” featuring Key Glock and “RNB” featuring Megan Thee Stallion. Dolph has collaborated with Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, O.T. Genasis and T.I.—all while operating his own independent record label Paper Route Empire (PRE).
Key Glock released his debut mixtape Glock Season in 2017 under PRE. Since his debut, the young artist released more projects including the first Glockoma mixtape and the Dum and Dummer joint album series that he made with Dolph.
Glock, who is still a PRE artist, is keeping the legacy of Dolph’s empire alive by setting his sights on future projects as he continues to perform and make music. “I ain’t got [the music] where I want it yet. I’m still on the music but I’m slowly but surely going to work onto other things,” Glock says.
The Memphis-born artist is not limiting himself to music. “I thought about [acting],” he says. “I’m still thinking about it.”
The young rapper also touches on the making of Glockoma 2, his favorite food, the music he’s currently listening to and his favorite piece of jewelry—his first PRE chain gifted to him by Dolph. “My first chain I ever got, my first PRE chain,” Glock says. “It was my first chain Dolph gave to me, so it’s probably my favorite chain.”
So far, the 25-year-old artist is in no rush to define his career. When asked, “What’s your proudest moment right now?” Glock candidly answers, “I ain’t got one yet.”
Listen to the full conversation with Key Glock below or here.
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In new documents, the Memphis Police Department claims one of the cops involved in the beating death of Tyre Nichols allegedly sent a photo of him to five other people afterward.
According to reports, the Memphis Police Department revealed in documents released by the state on Tuesday (Feb. 7th) that they found that one of the five officers charged with the beating and death of Nichols took a picture of him as he sat propped up against a police cruiser afterward. That officer, Demetrius Haley, would later admit to “sending a photograph of Mr. Nichols to … two fellow officers, a civilian employee of the department and a female acquaintance,” in addition to another unidentified person. The document also states that Haley allegedly used a personal phone, which is against police procedure.
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The revelation came as part of a filing by the police department on January 25th with the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission to request the decertification of Haley and the other four officers. That decertification would prevent the men from working with another department in the state of Tennessee.
Haley was identified as the officer who forced Nichols out of his car at the traffic stop on January 7th. Internal reports showed that Haley never told him why he was stopped or that he was under arrest. They described the photo-sharing as part of a pattern of “blatantly unprofessional” behavior that included the former officers, who are Black, laughing after beating Nichols, “bragging” about their actions, and hurling repeated profanities at Nichols. He would die of his injuries three days later.
Haley and the other four officers involved in the assault after the 29-year-old Nichols was detained would be fired days and indicted on multiple charges multiple criminal charges which include second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official oppression, and two counts of official misconduct. The actions took place before the city released the video of the officers beating, restraining, and using a taser on Nichols. A sixth officer who is white, Preston Hemphill, was fired a month after for his role in the incident but has not been charged. City attorney Jennifer Sink stated on Tuesday that up to 13 other officers involved in the incident could face disciplinary action within the coming weeks.
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Three of the five Black Memphis police officers charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols have been given the boot by the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
“A few days ago, on behalf of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, we joined with all other caring, thoughtful, decent, and fair-minded people in America and around the world in extending our deepest sympathy to the family of Tyre Nichols,” the fraternity wrote in a statement dated January 31. “We have since learned that three of the former Memphis police officers involved in the horrific incident were members of our organization. That is devastating! Effective immediately, the Fraternity has revoked the membership of the three former Memphis police officers and all related privileges they may have enjoyed as members of our Fraternity.”
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Omega Psi Phi also referenced a statement posted to its website two days prior to its most recent announcement in which the fraternity called Nichols’ violent treatment “unacceptable,” declared that its members “expect law enforcement officers to protect life and serve our communities with the highest regard for safety and humanity,” and characterized the behavior of the Memphis officers as “the complete opposite.”
The statement released Tuesday doesn’t specifically identify the three former officers who are no longer welcome members of the fraternity, but one should expect that all five ex-cops will find themselves unwanted around all Black frats, cookouts, house parties or any other events reserved for skinfolk who are still largely recognized as kinfolk.
Basically, the Black community isn’t interested in seeing any of them unless they’re behind bars wearing a convicted prison inmate jumpsuit.
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The specialized SCORPION police unit whose officers were charged for the death of Memphis black man Tyre Nichols, was shut down permanently over the past weekend.
According to a statement from the Memphis Police Department issued Saturday (Jan. 28), Chief C.J. Davis met with officers of the SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) Unit. All agreed “unreservedly” to disband the unit in order to foster more healing and work with the community. Chief Davis also called for a review of all other specialized units in the department to take place. The full statement was later issued via their Twitter account.
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The permanent abolition of the unit was one of the demands of the family of Tyre Nichols, protesters and other city officials as more details of the brutal beating became known. Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent the Nichols family, released an official statement later that afternoon.
“The Nichols family and their legal team find the decision to permanently disband this unit to be both appropriate and proportional to the tragic death of Tyre Nichols, and also a decent and just decision for all citizens of Memphis. We hope that other cities take similar action with their saturation police units in the near future to begin to create greater trust in their communities,” the statement said.
The SCORPION unit was created shortly after Davis was hired as chief of police in 2021 as a way to lessen the number of homicides in the city with a focus on other crimes including reckless driving. Twenty-nine-year-old Nichols was confronted by five black officers from the unit at a traffic stop Jan. 7. Nichols was allegedly driving reckless and was pulled over.
Chief Davis would later state to NBC News that they were unable to find evidence for that stop on video. The five officers – Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith – brutally beat him. Nichols was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He died of his injuries Jan. 10.
The city released the footage of the assault Friday evening (Jan. 27), sparking further outrage. That same day, all five cops posted bond and are out of jail ahead of their Feb. 17 court appearance.