Gone too soon. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Wednesday that rapper Lil Poppa has died. According to officials, the Jacksonville native was pronounced dead at 11:23 a.m. on February 18. A cause of death has not been released.
Born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, Lil Poppa built a loyal following in Southern hip hop over the past decade. News of his passing began circulating after posts from regional blogs, including @duvalpromo, shared claims that he had died. One Facebook user alleged he heard about Poppa’s death “from his mama mouth.”
Fellow Jacksonville artists publicly shared their grief as confirmation spread. Trap Beckham wrote, “This one hit different. RIP to the chosen one.” He added, “The city is truly not the same. @lilpoppa been a real one 💯A talent that most of seen from the jump. DUVAL LEGEND.” Artists Scy Jimm and Tyte also paid tribute.
Lil Poppa first gained attention with early releases such as Life With Desi, later expanding his reach through songs like “Man of the Year” and “Dangerous.” His Under Investigation series, including collaborations with Yungeen Ace and YFN Lucci, marked a breakthrough moment. The sequel became his first release under Interscope Records.
In 2022, Yo Gotti announced Poppa’s signing to CMG. He continued releasing projects, including Heavy Is The Head, Half Man, Half Vamp, WEE ARE WHO WE ARE, and Almost Normal Again. His most recent single, “Out Of Town Bae,” arrived just last week.