Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa dies at 25 in Georgia; medical examiner lists no cause yet

Death confirmed by medical examiner; circumstances remain under review

Janarious Mykel Wheeler, the Jacksonville rapper known professionally as Lil Poppa, has died at age 25 after being pronounced dead in Fulton County, Georgia, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the death and reported that a cause had not been released as of publication.

The medical examiner’s office is responsible for investigating deaths within Fulton County and determining cause and manner of death, a process that can involve autopsy and additional postmortem testing before findings are finalized.

Label affiliation and recent releases

Lil Poppa was affiliated with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG), a label founded in 2012 and distributed through Interscope. His work blended melodic rap and introspective songwriting, a style often described within hip-hop as “pain rap,” and he built a sizable audience through streaming-era releases.

His most recent full-length project, Almost Normal Again, was released on August 1, 2025 through CMG/Interscope. The album’s commercial listings describe it as an 18-track release, with multiple featured artists across the tracklist.

In the days immediately preceding the death report, Lil Poppa released new music, including the single “Out of Town Bae,” which appeared on major digital music platforms in mid-February 2026.

Public response and information gaps

News of Lil Poppa’s death spread rapidly across social media on February 18, prompting an outpouring of posts from fans and members of the broader hip-hop community. At the same time, unverified claims about the circumstances of his death circulated online.

No official cause of death has been made public by authorities, and no verified statement from family representatives or the artist’s label was available at the time this article was prepared. In deaths under medical examiner jurisdiction, official determinations commonly follow after investigative steps are completed and next-of-kin notifications and documentation requirements are satisfied.

Key facts confirmed as of February 18, 2026

• Lil Poppa (Janarious Mykel Wheeler) died at age 25.
• He was pronounced dead in Fulton County, Georgia, on February 18, 2026.
• No cause of death had been released as of publication.
• His latest album, Almost Normal Again, was released August 1, 2025 via CMG/Interscope.

If and when the medical examiner releases official findings, the record will provide the first verified account of cause and manner of death.

Jacksonville.news will update this report as additional confirmed details become available from official records.