Lil Poppa Dies at 25
The hip-hop community is mourning rapper Lil Poppa, who passed away in Atlanta at age 25. Details have not been made public, but tributes are pouring in from artists and fans across the industry.
- The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the rapper's death a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. - Born Janarious Mykel Wheeler in Jacksonville, Florida, he began rapping at his church and built a makeshift home studio at age 12. - His 2018 single "Purple Hearts," which was about the fatal shooting of two of his friends, went viral and gained him national attention. - In 2022, he signed with Yo Gotti's record label, Collective Music Group (CMG), which released a statement describing him as "an ambitious young man whose depth stretched far beyond his years." - His debut studio album, "Blessed, I Guess" (2021), and his 2022 mixtape, "Under Investigation 3," both appeared on the Billboard 200 charts. - Just five days before his death, he released a new single and music video titled "Out of Town Bae." - He had recently been on tour in late 2025 and was scheduled to perform in New Orleans in March 2026. - Tributes have been shared by numerous artists, including Mozzy, Nardo Wick, Boosie Badazz, and Lil Duval.
