Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa, real name Janarious Wheeler, was found shot to death in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday. He was 25.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
In a video recorded several weeks ago, Lil Poppa told his fans he talked to God about his conflicting feelings.
“Woke up, read me a Bible verse, got some breakfast in my system. Talked to God about it… and He laid it on me,” the aspiring rapper said.
Lil Poppa said he had one more project to release before breaking his earthly bond.
“I got one more and it’s over. I’m going to find my peace.”
He released his final single, “Out of Town Bae,” last Friday.
Lil poppa death should really show mfs that mental health is real & you never know what a mf is going through that’s so foul pic.twitter.com/43oESUTfBH
— ? (@daa1theytalkabt) February 18, 2026
The aspiring rapper began making music at just 7 years old. He started writing religious rap lyrics for his local church before pivoting to street rap.
His first local hit was 2018’s “Purple Hearts,” a track about surviving a shooting in his hometown of Jacksonville.
After signing to rapper Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group record label, he released his debut album, Blessed, I Guess.
His last album, Almost Normal Again, was released in August 2025.
Lil Poppa’s death sent shockwaves through the rap community.
On Wednesday, rappers Meek Mill, Boosie BadAzz, Dej Loaf, Nardo Wick, Lil Duval, and more shared tributes to Lil Poppa on social media.
“[All] them talks same dream same problems I understand… bro you ah LEGEND I hope you understood that,” fellow Florida rapper Yungeen Ace wrote on Instagram. “The city love you @lilpoppa glad we gotta chance to patch things up and be close.”
Chicago drill rapper EBK Juvie asked why God didn’t take fellow Chicago rapper G Herbo instead of Lil Poppa.
Herbo responded in a video, saying success makes people jealous.
