Rapper Lil Poppa has died at the age of 25, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on Wednesday, February 18. The Jacksonville, Florida native, whose real name is Janarious Mykel Wheeler, was pronounced dead at 11:23 a.m. Local time, according to a statement provided to TMZ.
The cause of death remains under investigation, authorities said. News of Wheeler’s passing prompted an outpouring of grief from fellow artists and industry figures.
Lil Duval, a fellow Jacksonville native, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, stating, “Most of us in Jacksonville knew him since he was a kid. And we all wanted him to win and he was. Cuz once the drill music died done he was the only one left standing. And he deserved it cuz He was really who all these other YN rappers wanted to be in Jacksonville.”
Rapper Boosie Badazz posted a video tribute, offering a simple “T.I.P: Thug in peace to Lil Poppa, man.” Caroline ‘Baroline’ Diaz, CEO of Great Day Records, who worked with Wheeler early in his career, expressed her devastation on X, writing, “My little brother is gone. Poppa I love you so much. I am so broken. One of the first artists I had at Interscope. A&R’ed 4 of his projects. I’m so sad right now.”
Born on March 18, 2000, Wheeler began rapping at the age of seven, initially writing music for his church before transitioning to secular music. He gained prominence in 2018 with the release of “Purple Hearts,” a song inspired by surviving a shooting in Jacksonville. The track was later featured on his Under Investigation mixtape.
Wheeler signed with Interscope Records following the success of “Purple Hearts” and later joined Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG) in 2022, alongside artists such as Moneybagg Yo and GloRilla. His debut LP, Blessed, I Guess, was released in 2021. He released his most recent album, Almost Normal Again, in August 2025.
Just last week, on February 13, Lil Poppa released his single “Out of Town Bae.” He had been scheduled to perform at a Birthday Bash show in Latest Orleans in March and had recently completed a tour supporting Rod Wave in 2024, according to reports.
Wheeler is survived by his three-year-classic son. His passing has prompted a wave of remembrance across social media, with fans and peers alike sharing their condolences and celebrating his musical legacy.
