Young Dolph - Bulletproof (2017)

Coming on the scene with stern club bangers and cold punch lines, Memphis-based rapper Young Dolph became a local hero via a series of mixtapes before breaking nationwide around 2014. Born Adolph Thornton, Jr. in Chicago, Dolph debuted in 2008 with the mixtape Paper Route Campaign. Subsequent releases like The Weed Album and South Memphis Kingpin brought him to 2012 when he dropped the first in a successful series of mixtapes dubbed High Class Street Music. By the time High Class Street Music 4 and the "Preach" single dropped in 2014, Dolph was working with major-label producers including Drumma Boy and Zaytoven. Both provided tracks for his 2016 debut LP King of Memphis, which featured no guest artists and debuted at number 49 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. A pair of mixtapes followed before the release of his sophomore effort, Rich Crack Baby. The album entered the Billboard 200 upon release and included guest appearances by Boosie Badazz, 2 Chainz, Wale, T.I., Gucci Mane, and 21 Savage. Gelato followed in early 2017, containing Yo Gotti diss track "Play wit Yo' Bitch," as well as tracks featuring Migos, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Yachty. ~ David Jeffries & Neil Z. Yeung.