American rapper Lil Poppa, born Janarious Wheeler, has sadly passed away at the age of 25.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed that Wheeler was pronounced dead on Wednesday, February 18, at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time, according to reports from TMZ. Authorities stated that the exact cause of his death is still under investigation, and further details have not yet been released.
Tragically, the news comes just days after the young rapper dropped his latest single, “Out of Town Bae,” on Friday, February 13. The release had generated excitement among fans, marking what many believed would be another strong step in his evolving music career.
He was also scheduled to take the stage in New Orleans this March, a performance that would have been his next major appearance.
Lil Poppa was signed to Collective Music Group (CMG), the label founded by fellow rapper Yo Gotti. The imprint is also home to Grammy-nominated breakout star GloRilla. Over the years, Lil Poppa built a reputation as a hardworking and introspective artist, known for blending melodic flows with emotionally honest storytelling.
He achieved his biggest commercial success in 2021 with his hit track “Love & War,” a standout record from his project Blessed, I Guess. In the song, Lil Poppa opened up about vulnerability, relationships, and the internal struggle between expressing his feelings and protecting someone he cared about from harsh realities around them.
His reflective lyrics and raw delivery resonated deeply with listeners, earning him a loyal fan base and recognition as one of the promising voices of his generation.