Jeremel “Daddy O” Moore: The Quiet Executive at the Head of Paper Route Empire

#KRITICIZM - When people discuss the success of the late Memphis rap legend Young Dolph, the conversation usually begins with his unmistakable voice, independent mentality and ability to turn street music into a thriving business. However, another important figure was working alongside Dolph throughout much of that journey: his longtime friend, business partner and manager, Jeremel “Daddy O” Moore.

Unlike the artists whose faces appeared on album covers and concert flyers, Daddy O generally remained behind the scenes. He was never known for chasing interviews, social-media attention or rap fame. His role centered on business, management and helping create the structure that allowed Young Dolph’s vision to become Paper Route Empire, better known as PRE.

Today, the label’s official website identifies Daddy O as its CEO and credits him with continuing the company’s mission following Young Dolph’s death. That makes him more than a supporting character in Dolph’s story. Daddy O is one of the architects responsible for building and protecting the Paper Route Empire legacy.

A Friendship That Began on a Basketball Court

Long before there was a record label, a national tour or a platinum plaque, Daddy O and Young Dolph were two young men growing up in Memphis.

According to a 2017 profile published by SLAM Magazine, Dolph met Jeremel Moore on a basketball court in South Memphis. What began as a childhood connection eventually developed into a close friendship and business partnership.

The basketball court was where they first crossed paths, but music became the foundation of their future.

Daddy O later recalled that Dolph possessed an unusual musical style. Dolph was not simply rhyming for entertainment; he was communicating real experiences, pain and ambition. Daddy O compared Dolph’s honesty to the blues because his music came directly from what he had witnessed and survived.

That authenticity would eventually become one of Young Dolph’s greatest strengths.

While other people may have heard an aspiring neighborhood rapper, Daddy O recognized someone who could build a lasting career. Their relationship became an example of what can happen when genuine friendship is combined with a shared vision.

Helping Launch the Young Dolph Campaign

Young Dolph, born Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., released his first mixtape, Paper Route Campaign, in 2008. The project began attracting attention throughout Memphis, convincing Dolph and the people around him that music could become more than a local hobby.

Dolph later explained that he and Daddy O knew they wanted to get the “Young Dolph campaign” off the ground. Their goal was not merely to secure a record deal. They wanted to create something they could control.

That difference shaped the entire Paper Route Empire philosophy.

Instead of waiting for a major label to decide whether Dolph was marketable, the team invested in its own music, videos, promotion and street campaigns. They gave away CDs, built relationships with DJs and created demand one listener at a time.

This was before streaming platforms made independent distribution easier. Building an artist from the streets required physical products, travel, promotion and an understanding of how music moved between neighborhoods and cities.

Daddy O helped provide the organization behind that movement.

Young Dolph was the voice and public face, but every successful artist needs trusted people who can handle responsibilities outside the recording booth. Daddy O became one of those people, helping turn Dolph’s raw talent into an organized independent operation.

Building Paper Route Empire

Paper Route Empire officially grew into a record label that reflected Dolph’s central message: ownership.

The company was not created simply to release songs. It represented financial independence, self-reliance and the belief that an artist could compete nationally without surrendering control to a traditional record company.

Dolph repeatedly spoke about turning down major-label offers because he valued ownership of his work. Instead of becoming one artist inside another company’s system, he and Daddy O concentrated on strengthening their own brand.

The approach worked.

Projects such as Welcome 2 Dolph World, the High Class Street Music mixtape series, King of Memphis, Bulletproof, Role Model and Rich Slave expanded Dolph’s audience far beyond Tennessee. His independent success made him an influential figure for younger rappers who wanted to understand the business side of music.

Daddy O was recognized within the industry as Dolph’s co-manager and longtime business partner. An XXL profile described Moore in that role while documenting Dolph’s demanding recording schedule and independent rise.

Daddy O’s influence was not based on being the loudest person in the room. It came from his relationship with Dolph, his understanding of their mission and his ability to operate away from the cameras.

More Than One Successful Artist

The true test of a record label is whether it can develop more than its original star.

Paper Route Empire expanded by giving other Memphis artists an opportunity to establish their own careers. Its roster has included Key Glock, Kenny Muney, Big Moochie Grape, Jay Fizzle, Snupe Bandz, Paper Route Woo, Bigg Unccc and Chitana.

Key Glock became the label’s biggest success outside of Dolph. His solo projects and collaborative albums with Dolph helped him develop a major following while keeping the PRE sound connected to Memphis.

The success of releases such as Dum and Dummer and Dum and Dummer 2 demonstrated that Paper Route Empire was growing beyond a label built solely around one performer. It had become a recognizable movement with its own sound, artists and loyal audience.

Daddy O’s behind-the-scenes leadership was essential to that expansion. Managing an independent label requires more than finding talented rappers. It involves budgets, distribution, marketing, touring, contracts and long-term decision-making.

The artist creates the music, but the executive helps build an operation capable of delivering it to the world.

Losing Young Dolph

Everything changed on November 17, 2021, when Young Dolph was shot and killed inside Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis. He was only 36 years old.

Dolph’s death devastated his family, friends, fans and the entire Memphis music community. It also created an uncertain future for the company he had spent years building.

Paper Route Empire had lost its founder, leading artist and most recognizable public figure. Daddy O had lost something even more personal: a childhood friend and business partner with whom he had built an empire from the ground up.

There was no simple replacement for Young Dolph.

Instead of trying to erase that reality, PRE honored him through music. The label released the tribute compilation Long Live Young Dolph in January 2022, allowing its artists to express their grief while showing that the family Dolph created would continue moving forward.

Dolph’s posthumous album, Paper Route Frank, followed in December 2022. The project gave fans another opportunity to hear his voice and served as a reminder of how much music and momentum he left behind.

Carrying the PRE Legacy Forward

The official Paper Route Empire website says that what began as a home for Young Dolph’s music developed into a collective that continues under the guidance of CEO Daddy O.

That statement defines his responsibility today.

Daddy O is no longer simply helping manage Dolph’s career. He is responsible for guiding the company after the loss of the person who stood at its center.

That requires honoring Dolph without allowing the label to remain frozen in grief. PRE must preserve its founder’s catalog and principles while also developing artists capable of creating their own identities.

The label’s continued releases show that the mission remains active. Key Glock has become an established rap star, while Kenny Muney, Big Moochie Grape and other PRE artists continue releasing projects and representing the company.

Daddy O has also helped maintain the organization’s connection to community service. In 2023, Paper Route Empire partnered with The Bail Project during the holiday season. The organization credited Young Dolph and Jeremel Moore as PRE’s founders and highlighted the label’s continuing relationship with the Memphis community.

That work reflects another part of Dolph’s legacy. He was widely known for giving away turkeys, assisting families and supporting schools in his hometown. Keeping that spirit alive is just as important as protecting the music.

The Power of Working Behind the Scenes

Hip-hop often celebrates the person standing in front of the camera. The rapper receives the applause, interviews and recognition. However, every lasting music company also depends on executives who understand how to transform popularity into infrastructure.

Daddy O represents that quieter form of leadership.

He helped recognize Young Dolph’s potential, supported the early campaign, managed responsibilities during Dolph’s rise and assisted in developing Paper Route Empire into one of Southern hip-hop’s most respected independent labels.

His journey also demonstrates the value of building with people you genuinely trust. The partnership between Dolph and Daddy O did not begin at an industry networking event. It began during childhood on a Memphis basketball court.

Years later, the two men turned that relationship into a business that introduced artists, produced successful albums and inspired independent entrepreneurs throughout hip-hop.

The Head of PRE

Jeremel “Daddy O” Moore may never become as publicly recognizable as the artists associated with Paper Route Empire, but his importance cannot be measured by fame.

His work exists inside the company’s survival.

Every time PRE releases a new project, develops another Memphis artist or continues the principles of ownership and independence that Young Dolph promoted, a piece of Daddy O’s leadership can be seen.

Young Dolph built his reputation by refusing to wait for permission. Daddy O helped create the business foundation that made that independence possible. Following Dolph’s tragic death, he accepted the difficult responsibility of helping carry the vision forward.

The full story of Paper Route Empire will always begin with Young Dolph—but it cannot be told properly without acknowledging Jeremel “Daddy O” Moore.

He was there before the fame, worked behind the scenes during the rise and remains at the head of PRE as the empire enters its next chapter.

Long live Young Dolph, and salute to Daddy O for continuing to protect the Paper Route Empire legacy.

Watch the documentary: MOBB TIES: Jeremel “Daddy O” Moore — Head of PRE. Sources supporting the company history and Moore’s role include Paper Route Empire, SLAM Magazine, XXL and The Bail Project