Rapper Lil Poppa, a rising voice in Southern hip-hop, has died at the age of 25, authorities confirmed.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office in Georgia said the Jacksonville, Florida-based artist, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, was pronounced dead at 11:23 a.m. Wednesday.
The cause of death has not been revealed.
Lil Poppa was signed to Collective Music Group, the label founded by Yo Gotti, and had built a loyal following through emotionally honest storytelling.
Tracks like love and war, Mind over matter and TEARS OF HAPPINESS helped cement his reputation as a rapper bold enough to explore pain, love, and mental health.
His most recent album, Almost normal againwith 16 songs, it arrived in August.
Just a few days before his death, he released a new single, Out of town, babyand was scheduled to perform in New Orleans next month for his birthday.
Fans began searching for answers as rumors spread online, flooding their social media with messages.
“Dad tell me it’s not true,” one follower wrote, while another pleaded, “dad please say something this can’t be happening.”
In a now-poignant Instagram Story posted shortly before his death, Lil Poppa shared a video set to the soundtrack of letting it go by Rod Wave, with the lyrics playing on the screen.
“You know what happened / I know what happened / the world will never know.” The clip has since taken on new meaning for grieving fans.
Originally from Jacksonville, Lil Poppa began releasing music as a teenager and was known for turning personal losses into powerful songs.
It first gained wider attention in 2018 with purple heartsan independently released song inspired by the death of a close friend, which racked up millions of views on YouTube.
That same year, Nightmare on Elm St boosted his profile even further.
At the time of his death, Lil Poppa had over 960,000 followers on Instagram and over 600,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
His biography said: “First we are born, then we suffer, then we die… The end!!”
Tributes have continued to arrive through social networks.
“Lil Poppa was super talented. Shame to hear, RIP,” one fan wrote, while another said, “Damn… bro he was the definition of painful music, long live Lil Poppa.”
As fans mourn the end of his career, Lil Poppa is remembered for his raw lyricism, soulful delivery, and honesty that made so many listeners feel seen.
