Florida rapper Lil Poppa, born as Janarious Mykel Wheeler, has passed away at the age of 25. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Wheeler died on February 18, 2026. Authorities continue their investigation because they still need to establish the official cause of death, which remains undefined as of February 19.
Lil Poppa used his exceptional lyrics together with his personal life experiences to create his identity as a Southern hip-hop artist who was gaining popularity in the music industry. Social media users started to spread death rumors about him because some people believed that he had taken his own life or died from a drug overdose. The record label Collective Music Group together with law enforcement authorities has not yet confirmed the accusations made against them. The rapper’s health history has been examined because he experienced sickle cell anaemia, which he openly discussed in his 2022 film Blessed I Guess. Authorities currently state that his chronic illness does not connect to his death at this time.
Lil Poppa introduced his latest single “Out Of Town Bae” just five days before his death and it received a highly positive response from both fans and critics. The Fillmore in New Orleans scheduled him to perform at a highly anticipated birthday concert on March 21 which marked the beginning of his developing musical path.
Lil Poppa left behind a three-year-old son, PJ, whose mother, Toie Roberts, is the daughter of rapper Rick Ross. The music community and his fans are in mourning after losing an exceptional artist who never got to show the tremendous abilities he possessed. The public continues to express their condolences while they wait for more details about his unexpected death.
