The music world is mourning Janarious Mykel Wheeler, the prolific Georgia-born rapper known professionally as Lil Poppa, who died on Wednesday at the age of 25, ew.com reports.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the news, stating that while the death is confirmed, the official cause remains pending investigation.
In a career spanning just one decade, Wheeler built a discography that rivalled veterans of the genre. After debuting with “Fall Off” in 2016, his vulnerability caught the ear of major labels. His breakout track, “Purple Hearts,” detailed his survival of a near-fatal drive-by shooting, a moment that defined his unflinching lyrical style.
Lil Poppa eventually signed to Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG), joining a roster of stars including GloRilla. He achieved mainstream success with the 2021 hit “Love & War,” a standout track from his acclaimed album Blessed, I Guess.
The rapper remained industrious until the very end, releasing his latest single, “Out of Town Bae,” just five days before his passing.
Reflecting on his craft in a 2021 interview, Wheeler dismissed the idea that songwriting was a burden. “Being an artist is easy as long as you’ve got something to talk about,” he said. “As long as you’ve been through something, it’s always going to be easy.”
•Featured image: Lil Poppa performing in Atlanta in 2024/Prince Williams/WireImage
