Lil Poppa Dies: His Chilling Last Words

February 19, 2026

Lil Poppa’s sudden death at 25 has left Jacksonville, while social media looks at how he acted before death.

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“You’ll be proud of me OG. Woke up, read me a Bible verse, got some breakfast in my system, talked to God about it.  I got one more album, EP, mixtape. Whatever it’s gonna be. I got one more. And it’s over. I’m going to find my peace.” – Lil Poppa two weeks before his death.

Janarious “Lil Poppa” Wheeler died at 25 in Jacksonville Florida as the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his death Wednesday and said his cause of death remains under investigation.

The confirmation, issued in a statement to News4JAX, ended days of speculation surrounding the Jacksonville rapper’s sudden passing. Wheeler had recently released new music and was scheduled to perform next month in New Orleans, marking what appeared to be another active chapter in a career built on stark honesty and hometown storytelling.

Born in 2000, Janarious Mykel Wheeler began rapping at age 7 in Jacksonville, first writing music for his church before transitioning into secular Hip-Hop.

His breakthrough arrived in 2018 with “Purple Hearts,” a song detailing his survival of a shooting in his city. The track gained widespread attention and later appeared on his Under Investigation mixtape, positioning the then 18 year old as one of Jacksonville’s emerging voices.

The momentum led to a deal with Interscope Records. In 2021, he released his debut studio album “Blessed, I Guess,” a project that examined the emotional weight of sudden fame. He later signed with Collective Music Group, founded by Yo Gotti, joining a roster that includes Moneybagg Yo and GloRilla. His most recent album, the 16 track Almost Normal Again, was released in August 2025. Just days before his death, he dropped the single “Out of Town Bae.”

Beyond music, Wheeler’s passing has drawn attention to the family he leaves behind. He shared a son, Kofi J’nar, born June 24, 2022, with Toie Roberts, daughter of Rick Ross. Roberts is an entrepreneur who runs Ashanti Beauty and the clothing brand Four Two.

Their relationship became public in 2022 when Wheeler appeared in a maternity photoshoot alongside Roberts. By 2023, signs of strain surfaced through social media posts and lyrical references, though Roberts continued to focus publicly on her businesses and raising their son.

Kofi turned three in June 2025. Wheeler frequently cited fatherhood as a source of motivation, referencing his son in interviews and online posts as a driving force behind his work.

At the time of his death, Wheeler remained active in music, aligned with Yo Gotti’s CMG while Roberts’ father leads Maybach Music Group. Though the labels operate separately, the family connection created an uncommon link between two prominent figures in modern Hip-Hop.

As the investigation continues, Lil Poppa’s legacy rests in a catalog shaped by survival, ambition and emotional candor, and in the young child who now carries his story forward.

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