Rapper Lil Poppa, a rising voice in Southern hip-hop, has died at the age of 25, authorities have 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. on Wednesday.
A cause of death has not been released.
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 such as Love & War, Mind Over Matter and HAPPY TEARS helped cement his reputation as a rapper bold enough to explore pain, love and mental health.
His most recent album, Almost Normal Again, featuring 16 songs, arrived in August.
Just days before his death, he released a new single, Out of Town Bae, and was scheduled to perform in New Orleans next month for his birthday.
Fans began searching for answers as rumours spread online, flooding his social media with messages.
“Poppa tell me it ain’t true,” one follower wrote, while another pleaded, “poppa please say something this can’t be happening.”
In a now-poignant Instagram Story posted shortly before his death, Lil Poppa shared a video soundtracked by Letting It Go by Rod Wave, with lyrics playing onscreen.
“You know what happened / I know what happened / world never will.” 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 loss into powerful songs.
He first gained wider attention in 2018 with Purple Hearts, an independently released track inspired by the death of a close friend, which went on to rack up millions of views on YouTube.
That same year, Nightmare on Elm St further boosted his profile.
By the time of his death, Lil Poppa had more than 960,000 followers on Instagram and over 600,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
His bio read: “First We’re Born, Next We Suffer, Then We Die… The End!!”
Tributes have continued to pour in across social media.
“Lil Poppa was super talented. Unfortunate to hear, RIP,” one fan wrote, while another said, “Damn.. bro was the definition of pain music, long live lil poppa.”
As fans mourn a career cut short, Lil Poppa is being remembered for his raw lyricism, soulful delivery and the honesty that made so many listeners feel seen.
