Rapper Lil Poppa, a Jacksonville, Florida, artist known for candid songs about survival and loss, has died at 25, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed. The cause and manner of death were not released Thursday as investigators worked to determine what happened.
His death quickly rippled across hip-hop and social media, where fans and fellow artists posted short, stunned messages and longer tributes. The news also landed as Lil Poppa was promoting new music, with a recent single and video release, and as he prepared for a scheduled March appearance in New Orleans.
Lil Poppa, whose legal name was Janarious Mykel Wheeler, was pronounced dead shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday in Fulton County, which includes much of Atlanta, according to information released by the medical examiner’s office and reported by several outlets. In an email to People, senior medical examiner investigator Brian Jost Reents said, “His manner and cause of death are pending investigation.”
The loss came just days after Wheeler posted about his latest release, “Out of Town Bae,” a song that arrived Feb. 13 and was promoted on his verified Instagram page. The post, which also advertised the music video, drew a wave of grieving comments as word spread. Some fans wrote that his music helped them through personal crises, while others returned to older tracks that detailed violence in his hometown and the pressure of rising fame.
Wheeler built his following as a plain-spoken storyteller, often rapping over spare production about trauma, loyalty, and the people he could not bring with him. Raised in Jacksonville, he started writing and performing early, including music for church before shifting to rap as a child. He began gaining wider attention as a teenager, and in 2018 he broke through with “Purple Hearts,” a song tied to surviving a shooting in Jacksonville. The track later appeared on his “Under Investigation” mixtape, a project many fans cite as a turning point in his career.
That momentum led to a major-label path. Wheeler signed with Interscope Records and released “Blessed, I Guess” in 2021, an album that explored the push and pull between gratitude and anxiety as his profile grew. Later, he joined Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group, a Memphis-rooted label and collective that includes other prominent rappers. He continued to release music steadily, putting out more than 10 projects across mixtapes and albums, and expanding his audience beyond Florida with touring and festival appearances.
His most recent album, “Almost Normal Again,” a 16-track release that arrived in August 2025, showed the same emotional directness that shaped his earlier work, while widening his sound with guest appearances and a more polished mix. In the months that followed, he continued dropping singles and videos, and had a March performance on the calendar in New Orleans, where he was expected to appear at a “Birthday Bash” concert event, according to coverage and promotional reporting about the show.
As officials said the investigation continued, tributes from peers and collaborators appeared across platforms. Revolt reported that rapper Mozzy posted a photo of Lil Poppa on Instagram Stories with the caption “Damn, Pop,” followed by a heartbroken emoji. Nardo Wick wrote, “Rest up, Poppa,” in a social media message. On X, music executive Caroline “Baroline” Diaz described Wheeler as a younger-brother figure, writing that she was “so broken” and noting she had worked with him early in his Interscope era.
Comedian and rapper Lil Duval, who has long ties to Jacksonville, posted that Wheeler’s death hit personally. He wrote that many people in the city had known Lil Poppa since he was a kid and wanted him to succeed, adding, “This one really hurt me ‘cuz I really cared about Lil Poppa.” Other artists shared brief reactions that captured the shock, including rapper Rob49, who posted a line saying the news did not “sit right” with him.
Fans also pointed to Wheeler’s past comments about the responsibility he felt as listeners attached their own pain to his songs. In a 2021 interview discussed in later reporting, he said it meant a lot when people told him his music helped them through their toughest times. He added that it made him realize he had the power to change someone’s outlook, and that he needed to be mature enough to handle his own situations in a mature way.
For many listeners, that combination of vulnerability and grit was the core of his appeal. His songs often included vivid details about Jacksonville streets, friends lost to gun violence, and the emotional cost of staying alert, even as success brought new opportunities. At the same time, he showed flashes of optimism and humor in lighter tracks and in his social media presence, where he regularly previewed music and teased videos.
What remains unclear is what led to his death and whether any criminal inquiry will follow. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office has not released an official cause, and it has not announced a timetable for final results. Outlets that reported the death said an autopsy was expected as part of the investigation process, but officials have not publicly detailed findings.
In the coming days, friends and industry figures are expected to share memorial plans, if any are announced, and the status of Lil Poppa’s upcoming performance dates is likely to be addressed by promoters. Representatives for the artist have not publicly released a detailed statement about the circumstances, and some outlets said requests for comment were not immediately returned.
Wheeler’s death adds to a growing list of young rap artists whose careers ended abruptly while their fan bases were still expanding. His catalog, shaped by survival and a clear regional identity, continued to draw new listeners even before the news, and it is likely to see renewed attention as tributes continue and unanswered questions remain.
For now, officials say the case is still open. The medical examiner’s office has confirmed his identity and death date, but the cause and manner of death were still pending as of Thursday afternoon, with no public release of investigative conclusions.
Author note: Last updated February 19, 2026.