Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa pronounced dead at 25 in Fulton County

Janarious Mykel Wheeler, the Jacksonville-born rapper known as Lil Poppa, was pronounced dead on Feb. 18 in Fulton County, Georgia, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed. He was 25 years old and the medical examiner placed the time of pronouncement at roughly 11:20–11:23 a.m. Cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

A post on Facebook by Cody Alcorn relayed the medical examiner’s confirmation: “DEVELOPING | The Fulton County Medical Examiner confirms 25-year-old Janarious Wheeler, who is better known as rapper Lil Poppa died this morning. The FCME said Wheeler's manner and cause of death are pending investigation. Lil Poppa was scheduled to take the stage in New Orleans, Louisiana, in March at the Fillmore.” That post excerpt showed 175 reactions, 48 comments and 62 shares in the clip provided, underscoring the immediate surge of local attention and online engagement.

Lil Poppa rose from Jacksonville’s underground scene to a national profile after signing with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group in 2022. He placed two projects on the Billboard 200: Poppa’s Blessed, I Guess peaked at No. 160 in May 2021 and Under Investigation 3 reached No. 194 in May 2022. His Heavy is the Head peaked at No. 4 on the Heatseekers Albums chart in November 2022. He had been on tour in late 2025 and released the single “Out of Town Bae” on Feb. 13, five days before his death. His most recent album, Almost Normal Again, was released in August, according to public records.

The death leaves a ripple across a tightly knit Southern hip-hop community where Poppa was regarded as a rising star with emotionally candid lyrics and a reputation for relentless work. Tributes poured in from fellow artists and collaborators, with names such as Dej Loaf, Mozzy, Nardo Wick, Lil Duval and Scorey among those sharing condolences and memories. Local acquaintances interviewed in Jacksonville stressed his communal impact. “I know how myself and a lot of other people, how hard we went for him to get where he needed to be. It was a shock and it was a big loss,” Tyson said. “When he made it, it felt like everyone made it,” Tyson added. “He's gonna live on, and his legacy is gonna continue,” Scotty said.

Comedian and musician Lil Duval posted a lengthy reflection that captured both personal grief and Poppa’s ascent: “This one really hurt me cuz i really cared about @lilpoppa,“ wrote Duval. ”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. Even his enemies was his fans first. We talked a couple weeks ago he said ‘i know i was suppose been pulled up to camp Duval but i been busy but im definitely pulling up soon” and i said ‘ain’t no rush it ain’t going no where’ now i wish i would’ve forced it."

Poppa’s scheduled March 21 appearance at The Fillmore in New Orleans, billed as a Birthday Bash, is now uncertain, and fans who purchased tickets will be watching for announcements from promoters and the venue. Officials have not released a timeline for toxicology or autopsy results; inquiries to his record label and representatives have been noted but no public family statement has been posted in the materials reviewed.

Authorities ask anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact Fulton County officials. For fans and peers, the immediate question is how a young artist on the rise died; for the wider industry, the loss raises fresh attention to the pressures facing touring artists and the fragile moment between local stardom and national success.