Lil Poppa’s cause of death has been confirmed months after the Florida rapper’s sudden passing.

According to documents from the Fulton County coroner obtained by TMZ, Lil Poppa, whose real name was Janarious Mykel Wheeler, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A toxicology report is still pending.

The 25-year-old rapper died on February 18 in Georgia. Hapeville police previously said he had been involved in a single-car accident on Interstate 85 south before meeting his manager at a nearby hotel parking lot. TMZ reported that the fatal incident happened shortly after that meeting.

Lil Poppa’s death came just days after he released his single “Out of Town Bae” on February 13. He was also expected to perform in New Orleans the following month.

The Jacksonville artist had built a loyal following through a catalog that often leaned into pain, survival, and emotional honesty. He first broke through in 2018 with “Purple Hearts,” a song Pitchfork noted was about surviving a shooting in his hometown. That track later appeared on his debut mixtape Under Investigation.

His career continued to grow after signing with Interscope Records, before he later joined Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group. Under CMG, he released tracks including “Love & War,” “Mind Over Matter,” and “HAPPY TEARS.” His debut album, Blessed, I Guess, arrived in 2021, while his 16-track album Almost Normal Again came out in August 2025.

Following his passing, several artists and fans paid tribute to Lil Poppa online, including Meek Mill, Boosie Badazz, Rob49, Dej Loaf, Mozzy, Nardo Wick, Lil Duval, and Yungeen Ace.