The hip-hop community is mourning the reported death of Lil Poppa, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, and as fans reflect on his music and legacy, many are also turning their attention to the young son he leaves behind.
Lil Poppa was the father of a boy named PJ, born in 2022, who was just three years old at the time of his father’s passing in February 2026.
While the Jacksonville rapper built a reputation for emotional honesty and vivid storytelling in his songs, he remained intensely private about his personal life, especially when it came to his child.
PJ’s mother is Toie Roberts, an entrepreneur and the daughter of rap icon Rick Ross.
Roberts is known as the founder and CEO of Ashanti Beauty, and although she comes from a high-profile family, her relationship with Lil Poppa was largely kept out of the public eye.
The couple reportedly went public around the time PJ was born, when Rick Ross shared his excitement on social media about becoming a grandfather, even referring to himself as “Grandpa Gucci.”
Despite that brief public acknowledgment, Lil Poppa and Roberts maintained a low profile regarding their relationship and their son, choosing not to frequently post family moments or involve PJ in the spotlight that often surrounds celebrity children.
This discretion led at times to online speculation and rumors about his personal life, including unverified chatter suggesting he may have had other children, but credible reports consistently identify PJ as his only child.
News of Lil Poppa’s death broke on February 18, 2026, with reports citing law enforcement and the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office via TMZ stating that he was pronounced dead at 11:23 a.m. ET; as of now, an official cause of death has not been publicly released.
The sudden announcement sent shockwaves through the hip-hop scene, particularly because the 25-year-old artist had remained musically active and had even released a new track, “Out Of Town Bae,” just days before his passing.
Fans flooded social media with tributes, sharing lyrics, memories, and messages of support for his family, with many expressing heartbreak for PJ, who will grow up without his father.
Those who followed Lil Poppa’s career closely often pointed out that while he did not publicly showcase fatherhood, themes of growth, responsibility, and reflection became more pronounced in his later music, leading some listeners to believe that becoming a father had quietly influenced his artistry.
Friends and supporters have described him as focused on balancing his career with his role as a parent, even if that balance was maintained away from cameras and headlines.
For PJ, the legacy left behind is significant: a catalog of music that captures his father’s voice, struggles, ambitions, and emotions in a way that few public statements ever could.
Although he is too young now to grasp the magnitude of his father’s impact, the digital footprint of Lil Poppa’s career ensures that PJ will one day be able to see how deeply his father resonated with fans across the country.
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