According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office in Atlanta, rising rapper Lil Poppa, born Janarius Michael Wheeler, has died at the age of 25.
Authorities confirmed that he was pronounced dead Wednesday morning in Fulton County. Officials said the cause and manner of death are under investigation.
The Jacksonville, Florida native built a strong following with his emotional storytelling and melodic street style. Signed to Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG), Lil Poppa has garnered recognition for projects such as Blessed, I Guess, and his Under Investigation mixtape series. He also collaborated with Yo Gotti on the track “H Spot.”
In recent years, he has released popular songs including “Love and War,” “Mind Over Matter,” and “Happy Tears,” which have continued to grow his fan base nationwide. Days before his death, he had promoted the music video for his latest single, “Out of Town Bay,” on Instagram, where he had more than a million followers.
Lil Poppa was scheduled to perform in New Orleans next month.
His sudden death has left fans and the hip-hop community mourning the loss of a young artist whose career was still on the rise.