A Memphis mural dedicated to late rapper Young Dolph, who was fatally shot in November, was defaced last week ahead of its officially scheduled unveiling.
As reported Memphis’ Commercial Appeal, the mural was defaced by two unidentified men who tossed paint on it on July 21. Surveillance footage of the shopping center where the art was located, which is also where Dolph shot the video for “100 Shots,” shows the two individuals ruin the progress the artist made on the work in progress.
Creator Cameron Hill shared a video of what the piece looked like after the incident on his Instagram. Prior to it getting defaced, Hill had worked on the mural over four days. He said that he was commissioned to paint it by the IdaMae Family Foundation, which was founded by Dolph’s family.
“The IdaMae foundation and I have been talking about doing this project for the last 4 months. Money has been spent on the project from the foundation and everything just to have a group of hating individuals come and destroy what I was working on,” Hill wrote. “The certain group of individuals have been trying to ruin my art career and tarnish my name since last year. I have been harassed and also threatened for the last two or three days for trying to do something for the foundation and to make the community look better.”
He added that he’s received threats from various people in an attempt to intimidate him. “One thing y’all must understand is that y’all are not gone stop my shine nor are y’all going to try and down play my god given talent that I have been blessed with,” he continued. “I’m a king and I’m going to conduct myself as such. One thing for sure I don’t fear no man and I’m not going to tuck my tail and run. I stand on what I believe in.”
The mural was set to be unveiled by July 27, which would have been Dolph’s 37th birthday.
