Lil Poppa, the American rapper, singer and songwriter born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, died on February 18, 2026, at age 25.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he rose to prominence with his 2018 song “Purple Hearts.” He was also known for “Eternal Living” in 2019 and “Love & War” in 2021; “Eternal Living” received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Lil Poppa signed with Interscope Records in 2019, released his debut album, “Blessed, I Guess,” in 2021, and later joined Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group in 2022.
Janarious Mykel Wheeler (March 18, 2000 – February 18, 2026), better known by his stage name Lil Poppa, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with his 2018 song “Purple Hearts”. He was also known for his songs “Eternal Living” (2019) and “Love & War” (2021), with the former receiving gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).