Medical Examiner Confirms Rapper Lil Poppa's Death as Suicide
The cause of death for rising hip hop artist Lil Poppa was officially disclosed on Thursday, with authorities ruling it a suicide. According to The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office in Georgia, which communicated the findings to TMZ, the 25-year-old singer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Shock and Tributes Pour In Following Tragic News
Fans and fellow musicians expressed profound shock and grief across social media platform X in response to the heartbreaking revelation. One fan lamented, 'No way, this guy had it all, why would he take his life?' while another commented sympathetically, 'Poor bro must have been in pain.' The artist, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler and based in Jacksonville, Florida, passed away on Wednesday, mere days after releasing his new single Out Of Town Bae alongside its accompanying music video.
Lil Poppa first gained significant recognition through his widely popular track Love & War, which cemented his status as a fan favorite. The hip hop performer was signed to Yo Gotti's influential Collective Music Group label, with additional hits including Mind Over Matter and HAPPY TEARS contributing to his growing discography. His most recent album, Almost Normal Again, was released in August 2025, and he had been scheduled to perform in New Orleans this coming March.
Heartfelt Homages from Peers and Industry Figures
Comedian and rapper Lil Duval shared an emotional tribute on X, expressing deep personal regret over a missed connection opportunity. 'This one really hurt me cuz i really cared about lil poppa. Most of us in Jacksonville knew him since he was a kid. And we all wanted him to win and he was,' he wrote, highlighting the artist's unique standing in the local music scene. 'He was really who all these other YN rappers wanted to be in Jacksonville. Even his enemies was his fans first.'
YouTube personality Davo Migo also conveyed his sorrow, posting 'Lil Poppa you hurt my feelings with this one not gon lie.' Caroline 'Baroline' Diaz, CEO of Great Day Records who played a crucial role in Lil Poppa's career development, paid homage by stating 'My little brother is gone, Poppa I love you so much. I am so broken. One of the first artists I had at Interscope. A&R'ed 4 of his projects. I'm so sad right now.'
Devoted fans echoed these sentiments, with one writing 'Rest in Peace to a real talent. Lil Poppa’s music spoke to so many of us and his storytelling was unmatched,' while another added 'RIP Lil Poppa one of the greatest talents of our generation.' The rapper's untimely death occurs just one month before what would have been his 26th birthday on March 18. The Daily Mail has reached out to Lil Poppa's representative for further comment regarding this tragic loss.
Help is available for those in crisis: dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
