Today (Nov. 17) marks the inaugural Day of Service in honor of late Memphis talent Young Dolph. As previously reported by REVOLT, the citizens of Tennessee and Georgia, as well as anyone who wishes to participate across the world, have been asked to “give back and help those in need” as the Paper Route frontman did throughout his life. As explained by The IdaMae Foundation, those in Dolph’s hometown will be able to get free haircuts, winter items, and food in various locations around the city.

In addition to the rapper’s well-publicized charitable acts (including an annual turkey drive that continued in his legacy earlier this week), Dolph was always known to provide advice and spread knowledge that he’d obtained during his 36 years. In celebration of this, REVOLT collected 17 iconic quotes heard from the “Hall of Fame” star in regards to living like a boss in all aspects of life, taken from both classic songs and memorable interviews.

You can check them all out below. Those looking for additional information about Dolph Day of Service can head here.

1. On learning from his mistakes in the music business (REVOLT’s “Big Facts” interview, 2021):

“The more I [advanced in my career], the more knowledge I got. It’s just like everything else, you know what I’m saying? You be having it in your mind what you want to do, but you be having to figure that s**t out. You gotta f**k up so many times, and f**k up, and f**k up, then be like, ‘Okay, I really didn’t f**k up, I just taught myself… OK, now I got this s**t.'”

2. On avoiding excuses (“Preach,” Cross Country Trappin, 2014):

“Addicted to hustlin’, I can’t stop, won’t stop, can’t stop, never hear me complainin’ ’bout what I ain’t got, ’cause if I want it, I’ma go get it…”

3. On actually putting in the work to succeed (The FADER interview, 2017):

“Get s**t done… People that know they gotta work every day, them the kinda people I respect. I respect people that build a career for themselves. I don’t give a d**n if it’s a hustle that’s already big or you go to work at Kroger every day, the grocery store. Or you work at Walmart. You work, so I respect you. You don’t work, what can we do? We can’t relate.”

4. On knowing his worth early on (“Tric Or Treat,” 2019):

“I remember 2011, major labels came at me and they tried to give me two mil’, I gave him a handshake, looked him in his eyes, and said, ‘Nah, but I’ll talk to you in two years’…”

5. On beginning your journey as an entrepreneur (HYPEBEAST‘s “Conversations With” interview, 2018):

“The most important thing, dawg, is starting and jumping out there. A lot of people be so nervous and iffy about starting and be prolonging it. Bulls**tin’ about, like, just starting. That’s the biggest thing, jumping up there and starting. That’s the biggest thing.”

6. On protecting himself from disloyal loved ones (“Cold World,” High Class Street Music 5: The Plug Best Friend, 2015):

“It’s a cold world, watch yo homeboy and watch yo’ girl, yo homeboy cross you out just to take yo spot, these b**ches gonna be b**ches, you know what that’s all about, bow my head, say a prayer, say amen, grab my gun, take you out ‘fore I let you take me away from my son…”

7. On being able to change other people’s lives (REVOLT’s “Drink Champs,” 2018):

“[Being in the music industry] put me in a position where I can put other people in positions if they really want to be in a position to make some money… It ain’t no feeling like being able to, like, change somebody else life, dawg, and you know you in position to do that… All a person gotta do is listen.”

8. On financial management (VICE/Noisey interview, 2014):

“A lot of people don’t know how to do that, they don’t know how to manage their money. That’s how I made it this far, and keep going up. You’ve got to know how to manage your money. It takes money to make money. If you don’t know how to manage money, how are you gonna make more money?”

9. On staying ahead of the competition (“Nothin,” Rich Crack Baby, 2016):

“All these rappers mad at me ’cause I ain’t sign, and I got more money than they CEO… Went from trappin’ to rappin’, they can’t believe I made it, I pulled this s**t off and didn’t sign to a major, got more money than your whole team, that’s why you b**ches hatin’…”

10. On what he’s learned from the streets that stuck with him in the music industry (REVOLT’s “Off Top” interview, 2021):

“Staying focused. That’s the most important thing… you gotta think, man, there’s so much s**t to get sidetracked on, you got the b**ches, you know what I’m saying? You got all of the materialistic s**t. You got toxic friends, toxic partners, the ones that wanna give you their 2 cents, but don’t know s**t about business. It’s everything… A lot of people get caught up on what’s going on instead of focusing on what you got going on yourself, what work for you, what’s best for you.”

11. On making sure his children are never deprived (“Believe Me,” Thinking Out Loud, 2017):

“Extra money buried for my son and I can’t wait to tell him, lil’ n**ga, you got a million-dollar shovel… I vow to never let another n**ga raise my kids…”

12. On handling doubt and criticism from others (Turned Dirt Into Diamonds mini-documentary, 2018):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQD1VNTvw-M

“A lot of people, they can’t see what I see, bro, because they ain’t in my position… you came in by yourself, you gon’ die by yourself. You gonna be in that casket by yourself. So you can’t give a d**n about what nobody think… It ain’t gon’ never be a day that nobody in the world have to wake up and be you.”

13. On not doing favors when it comes to business (“Money Callin’,” High Class Street Music 3: Trappin’ out a Mansion, 2013):

“What have you done for me lately? N**ga, f**k you, pay me, I was f**ked up until my plug saved me, nowadays I got mo’ customers than Macy’s, what have you done for me lately? That’s why it’s, ‘F**k you, pay me,’ it’s like this money just should be callin’ me…”

14. On continuing to expand his business into other avenues (“The Breakfast Club” interview, 2017):

“It’s like everything get bigger… Me in my position, music ain’t my only focus… I’m a CEO. I got a whole record label. I got six artists, all of ’em hard. Know what I mean? Dolph writing movies. Dolph into fashion… These folks have a billion dollars. Dolph finna get ready to get that billion dollars. I ain’t thinkin’ 20 years, 15 years, naw. I’m thinkin’ bout four years, five years… I’m just wired different.”

15. On what he learned during the COVID-19 pandemic (“Sunshine,” 2020):

Busy workin’ all my life, gave the family no time, I apologize to the whole family just for bein’ selfish, but the whole time, I was focused on makin’ the family wealthy (’cause I love y’all), it wasn’t s**t you could tell me, guala, guala, guala, stack that paper, invest in yourself for times like this…”

16. On being wary of helping those who refuse to help themselves (“Million Dollaz Worth of Game” interview, 2021):

“Bro, the thing wit’ these n**gas, everybody wanna start at the top. Everybody wanna start at the top, and everybody wanna ball off the rip. Everybody… That’s cool, but, s**t, what you doin’ for yourself? Is you gonna put in the work to ball off the rip? Is you puttin’ in the work right now to ball off the rip? Or is it just all on somebody else to make you ball off the rip? If you feel like that, if you a n**ga wit’ that opinion, that attitude, [to] me, personally, you a f**k n**ga.”

17. On living your life to the absolute fullest (“Get Paid,” S**ttin’ on the Industry, 2015):

“Get paid, n**ga, get paid, b**ch! You on some rich n**ga s**t, we on the same s**t, me and my Memphis Grizzly partners f**k the same b**ches, the only difference is I’m a trap n**ga! Don’t you hear it in my voice when I rap, n**ga? On South Beach with E-Feezy throwing stacks, n**ga, turnt to the max, n**ga! Facts, n**ga!”