Young Dolph built one of the most fiercely independent catalogs in modern hip-hop, and narrowing down the best Young Dolph songs means digging through a decade of Memphis trap anthems, street parables, and unapologetic flex records. From his 2014 mixtape grind to the posthumous closeout of Paper Route Frank, every era of his discography carries the same DNA: gravel-voiced confidence, minimal but bass-heavy production, and bars built entirely around hard-earned independence. This list pulls from across his catalog to spotlight the tracks that defined him as Memphis royalty.
100 Shots
Few opening tracks in rap hit as hard contextually as “100 Shots,” the lead-off cut from 2017’s Bulletproof. Produced by Memphis veteran DJ Squeeky, the record directly addresses a real-life shooting in Charlotte where Dolph’s SUV was struck by more than a hundred rounds and he walked away unscathed. The minimal, bass-heavy beat gives him room to deliver every line with eerie calm, turning trauma into a victory lap. On headphones, the low-end rumble underneath the hi-hats makes the whole thing feel like a slow-motion replay of a near-death experience flipped into a flex.
Released August 20, 2017 through Paper Route Empire, the track helped push Bulletproof to a debut at number 36 on the Billboard 200. Anyone curating a collection of essential rap songs needs this one near the top, since it’s the clearest example of Dolph turning real street tension into a defiant anthem.
RNB (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)
“RNB” stands as one of Dolph’s most commercially successful collaborations, pairing him with Megan Thee Stallion over a Juicy J and Sosa 808 production that samples Willie Hutch’s “Love Me Back.” Released May 29, 2020 as the lead single from Rich Slave, the song builds its hook around the dual meaning of “rich” and “R&B,” with both artists trading luxury-flex bars over a hypnotic, bass-forward groove. The chemistry between Dolph’s gruff delivery and Megan’s rapid-fire cadence creates a genuine call-and-response energy that translates well live.
The single went Gold with the RIAA and hit number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, proof that Dolph’s formula could cross into mainstream territory without losing its grit. It’s a great test track for comparing speaker setups, and pairing it with a solid pair of earbuds really brings out the low-end separation in that Juicy J mix.
Get Paid
“Get Paid” served as the lead single from Dolph’s 2016 debut studio album King of Memphis, and it’s the record that announced his solo arrival after years of independent mixtape grinding. The production leans into the dark, syrupy Memphis sound he’d build his whole catalog around, with sparse drum patterns leaving plenty of negative space for his voice to dominate. Lyrically, it’s a mission statement about hustling without label backing, something that defined his entire Paper Route Empire ethos.
King of Memphis went on to chart on the Billboard 200, marking the beginning of his ascent from regional favorite to nationally recognized independent artist. The song’s no-frills, hook-driven structure remains a template for how he’d approach singles for the rest of his career.
Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up
Pulled from 2020’s Rich Slave, “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up” finds Dolph reflecting on the ceiling that wealth still can’t break through for Black Americans, even after achieving the kind of success he’d worked toward his entire career. The repetition in the title mirrors the song’s internal tension, a kind of stop-and-start cadence that matches the subject matter’s weight. It’s a more introspective entry compared to his typical flex records, showing a different shade of his songwriting.
Rich Slave itself became Dolph’s highest-charting album, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200 and topping the Independent Albums chart. That commercial peak makes “Hold Up Hold Up Hold Up” a fitting example of how personal reflection and street narrative coexisted throughout the project.
Major (feat. Key Glock)
Off 2018’s Role Model, “Major” paired Dolph with his Memphis protégé Key Glock for one of their earliest widely circulated collaborations before the two would go on to release the Dum and Dummer projects together. The chemistry is immediate, with Glock’s faster, more aggressive flow contrasting against Dolph’s laid-back drawl over a bouncy, trap-leaning instrumental. It’s the kind of mentor-and-rising-star pairing that ends up defining careers on both ends.
“Major” reached number one on a Billboard component chart and helped cement Key Glock’s name well before his solo breakout, while also reinforcing Dolph’s reputation for finding and elevating Memphis talent through Paper Route Empire.
Talking To My Scale
“Talking To My Scale” leans into a darker, drug-trade narrative that’s delivered with the same monotone confidence Dolph applied to almost everything in his catalog. The production keeps things sparse and ominous, built around a looping melodic figure that lets the storytelling carry the track instead of relying on a big hook. It’s a strong example of his lyrical craft, painting a vivid scene through detail rather than abstraction.
The track later found its way onto compilations tied to PAPER ROUTE iLLUMINATi, the posthumous 2021 release that gathered loose singles and fan favorites following his passing, giving longtime listeners a way to revisit deep cuts that never made an official studio album.
1 Hell of a Life (feat. Key Glock)
Pulled from 2019’s Dum and Dummer, the first official collaborative project between Dolph and Key Glock, “1 Hell of a Life” rides a Bandplay-produced beat built around a hazy, looping guitar strum that gives the whole track a sun-soaked, celebratory feel. Both artists trade verses about the chaos and rewards of their come-up, with Dolph’s verse focused on growing up watching his family navigate the drug trade and Glock following with his own grateful, ostentatious bars.
The Dum and Dummer project as a whole captured the genuine cousin-like bond between the two Memphis rappers, and this track in particular became an unofficial victory anthem in the wake of Dolph’s passing, with fans returning to its hook as a tribute to his resilience.
Water on Water on Water
Also from Dum and Dummer, “Water on Water on Water” leans heavily into repetition as a rhythmic device, with the title phrase functioning almost like a chant throughout the hook. The production sits in that familiar Memphis pocket: heavy 808s, minimal melodic accents, and plenty of space for ad-libs to fill the gaps. It’s less about complex wordplay and more about the rhythmic pleasure of how the words land against the beat.
Tracks like this show why Dolph’s catalog works so well as a cohesive body rather than a collection of one-off hits; the repetition and cadence choices across his discography create a sonic signature that’s instantly recognizable within a few bars.
On the River
“On the River” comes from 2017’s Gelato, a mixtape-style release that leaned into smoother, more melodic production compared to some of his grittier full-length albums. The track’s instrumental has a glossy, almost luxurious feel that mirrors its lyrical content, all rooted in the kind of wealth-and-leisure imagery that became a hallmark of his post-King of Memphis output. Dolph’s delivery stays unhurried, letting the beat’s bounce do a lot of the rhythmic work.
Gelato represented an interesting stretch in his catalog where he experimented with slightly more radio-friendly textures while keeping his lyrical content rooted in the same independent-hustler perspective that defined his entire career.
Get Away
“Get Away,” also from the Gelato era, finds Dolph in escapist mode, painting pictures of leaving Memphis behind for warmer climates and easier living after years of grinding. The production has a breezier quality than a lot of his catalog, with airy synths layered over the standard trap drum programming. It’s a good representation of how he could shift tone without abandoning the core sonic identity that made his music instantly identifiable.
This kind of thematic range, moving between street narrative and wealth-fueled escapism, is part of what made his catalog so replayable. Listening through albums in sequence reveals a more complete emotional arc than any single hit suggests on its own.
Foreva (feat. T.I.)
“Foreva” stands out as one of the earlier high-profile features in Dolph’s catalog, pulling in Atlanta veteran T.I. for a track off Rich Crack Baby, his 2016 mixtape. The pairing makes sense sonically, with both rappers sharing a similar gravel-toned, conversational delivery style that prioritizes lyrical content over vocal acrobatics. T.I.’s seasoned perspective on the hustle plays well against Dolph’s then-rising profile.
The track eventually went Platinum with the RIAA, making it one of the most commercially successful cuts from his pre-major mixtape era and a clear signal that his independent business model was working well before mainstream attention fully caught up.
Preach
“Preach” dates back to 2014’s Cross Country Trappin, and it stands as one of the foundational tracks in establishing Dolph’s voice before he had any major chart presence. The beat is stripped-down and ominous, giving his sermon-like delivery room to breathe as he lays out his philosophy on hustling, loyalty, and independence. It’s rawer production-wise than his later work, but the lyrical confidence that would define his entire career is already fully formed here.
Going on to receive an RIAA certification years after its initial release, “Preach” is a good entry point for newer listeners trying to understand where his sound originated before Paper Route Empire became a fully formed independent label machine.
By Mistake
“By Mistake” appears on 2018’s Role Model, a project that further solidified Dolph’s reputation as one of the most consistent independent voices in rap. The track carries a moody, almost cinematic instrumental, with the kind of slow-build tension that suits his storytelling style well. Lyrically, it touches on the unpredictability of street life, where outcomes shift in an instant regardless of planning.
Role Model went on to chart respectably and eventually earned the track an RIAA Gold certification, reinforcing that even the deeper album cuts in his catalog carried real commercial weight, not just the front-loaded singles.
Hall of Fame
“Hall of Fame” comes from Paper Route Frank, Dolph’s seventh and final studio album, released posthumously in 2022. The track carries an inevitable emotional weight given the circumstances of its release, with Dolph reflecting on his legacy and place among rap’s most respected independent figures. The production matches that reflective tone, layering somber chords beneath his typically confident delivery.
Paper Route Frank closed out his catalog the way longtime fans would have wanted, full of the same unfiltered bravado that defined his entire run, and “Hall of Fame” in particular reads almost like a closing statement on a career built entirely on his own terms.
Beep Beep
Another standout from Paper Route Frank, “Beep Beep” brings a harder-edged, more aggressive energy compared to some of the album’s more reflective moments. The beat leans into sharp, percussive elements that give the track a propulsive, road-trip momentum matching its title, while Dolph’s flow stays clipped and direct throughout. It’s the kind of song that works especially well in the car, where the rhythm section’s punch really lands.
The posthumous release of Paper Route Frank allowed fans to hear a fuller picture of the material Dolph had been working on before his passing, and tracks like this show he was still pushing his sound forward right up to the end.
Crashin’ Out
“Crashin’ Out” appears on Dum and Dummer, continuing the loose, party-leaning energy that defined much of the collaborative project with Key Glock. The track’s title captures its overall vibe: carefree, a little reckless, and built around the kind of ad-lib-heavy hook that translates well to live shows. Both artists sound genuinely locked in, trading bars with the easy chemistry of two people who grew up together rather than label-assigned collaborators.
Dum and Dummer as a whole leaned into this kind of relaxed, fun energy more than Dolph’s solo records typically did, giving fans a different side of his artistry through the lens of a genuine creative partnership.
No Sense (feat. Key Glock)
“No Sense” comes from 2020’s Rich Slave, bringing Key Glock back into the fold for another tightly constructed verse trade. The instrumental sits in familiar Memphis territory, dark and bass-driven, while both rappers focus on the absurdity and excess of their current lifestyle compared to where they started. The track’s pacing benefits from quality playback equipment, and running it through a properly tuned set from a headphone comparison guide reveals just how much low-end detail is baked into the mix.
Rich Slave’s commercial peak at number four on the Billboard 200 makes tracks like this a clear example of how Dolph and Glock’s pairing had grown from a side project into a legitimate commercial draw by 2020.
Sunshine
Released in April 2020, “Sunshine” stands out as one of the more topical entries in Dolph’s catalog, directly addressing the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it reshaped daily life. GQ specifically praised the single for how it captured the uncertainty of that moment within rap’s broader cultural response. The production stays restrained, giving the unusually direct, reflective lyrics room to land without competing for attention.
It’s a notable departure from his usual flex-and-hustle subject matter, showing he was willing to address real-world events directly rather than sticking strictly to his established lyrical themes, and it became a key single ahead of the Rich Slave album rollout.
Large Amounts
“Large Amounts” served as one of the singles supporting Rich Slave’s rollout, released in January 2021 well after the album’s initial August 2020 drop, extending the project’s commercial life. The track keeps the same wealth-focused subject matter consistent throughout the album, with Dolph rattling off material accomplishments over a bouncy, hi-hat-heavy beat. It’s a strong example of how Paper Route Empire continued mining singles from a single project to maximize its streaming run.
The strategy worked well for an independent label, and “Large Amounts” helped keep Rich Slave in rotation well into 2021, long after its initial chart debut.
Pulled Up (feat. 2 Chainz and Juicy J)
“Pulled Up,” from 2015’s High Class Street Music 5: The Plug Best Friend, brought together two heavyweight Atlanta and Memphis voices in 2 Chainz and Juicy J alongside Dolph for a luxury-rap showcase. The track charted on Billboard’s rap component charts, an impressive feat for a mixtape cut released well before his official major-label-style debut album. Juicy J’s presence as both performer and frequent collaborator throughout Dolph’s career makes this one of the clearer connective threads in his catalog.
This kind of high-profile feature work during his mixtape years helped build the network and credibility that would later support Paper Route Empire’s independent success, proving Dolph could hold his own next to established hitmakers even before his solo breakout.
Taken together, these tracks map out the full arc of Young Dolph’s career, from scrappy mixtape cuts to posthumous closing statements, and they show why his catalog remains a touchstone for independent hip-hop. Whether the preference leans toward the gritty street narratives of his early work or the polished flex records from Rich Slave, there’s a consistent throughline of unfiltered honesty running through every project. For anyone looking to dig deeper into similar artists and catalogs, browsing through more artist song retrospectives is a great next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Young Dolph’s most successful song commercially?
“RNB” featuring Megan Thee Stallion stands as one of his most commercially successful singles, earning an RIAA Gold certification and reaching number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart following its May 2020 release.
Which album is considered Young Dolph’s commercial peak?
Rich Slave, released in August 2020, marked his highest-charting album, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200 and topping Billboard’s Independent Albums chart.
Did Young Dolph have a regular production team?
Dolph worked with a wide range of producers throughout his career, including DJ Squeeky, Juicy J, Bandplay, Zaytoven, and Metro Boomin, often shifting collaborators between projects rather than relying on one consistent sound architect.
What was Young Dolph’s record label?
Dolph founded and ran Paper Route Empire, the independent label through which he released the vast majority of his catalog, building a self-sufficient business model outside the traditional major-label system.
Who was Key Glock to Young Dolph?
Key Glock was Dolph’s cousin and longtime collaborator, signed to Paper Route Empire, with the two releasing the collaborative Dum and Dummer projects together and frequently appearing on each other’s tracks.