Lil Poppa cause of death: What happened to Janarious Mykel Wheeler? First details surface

Lil Poppa, popular Jacksonville, Florida-based rapper, has died. He was 25 years old

Updated on: Feb 19, 2026 2:52 AM IST

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Lil Poppa, popular Jacksonville, Florida-based rapper, has died. He was 25 years old. TMZ confirmed his death, citing the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office in Georgia. The rapper, whose real name is Janarious Mykel Wheeler, was pronounced dead on Wednesday at 11:23 AM ET.

Rapper Lil Poppa has passed away at 25 (Lil Poppa)

Lil Poppa cause of death update

Lil Poppa's cause of death was not immediately released. Several of his fans speculated that the 25-year-old committed suicide. However, neither officials nor his family have put out a statement yet.

“no way lil poppa did suicide this has to be a joke manee he got me through sm and i love him 🕊️💔” one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Cause why my hb texted me saying lil poppa committed suicide? 💔” another fan tweeted.

“Ain’t no way Lil Poppa committed suicide,” a third person added.

Who was Lil Poppa?

Lil Poppa, signed to Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG), had built a strong following in recent years with several hit tracks, including “Love & War,” “Mind Over Matter,” and “HAPPY TEARS.”

His 16-song album Almost Normal Again was released in August 2024, showcasing his signature blend of melodic trap and introspective lyrics.

Just last Friday, he dropped a new single titled “Out of Town Bae,” continuing his steady output of music.

Lil Poppa was also booked to perform next month in New Orleans, with fans anticipating the show as part of his growing live presence.

Tributes pour in

“Lil Poppa you hurt my feelings with this one not gon lie. 🥀😕” one fan wrote on social media.

“If you actually listened to Lil Poppa music he been so stressed out, I wish he would’ve kept going 🥺” another one added.

“Ain’t no way Lil Poppa gone like that, men mental health is serious,” a third one stated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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