Lil Poppa net worth: Jacksonville rapper who died at 25 leaves behind a $3 million empire for son PJ

Jacksonville rapper Lil Poppa, whose real name is Janarious Mykel Wheeler, passed away at the age of 25 on Wednesday. At the time of his death, Lil Poppa's net worth was estimated to be between $1.5 million and $3 million by entertainment finance sources, with some high-end estimates even reaching up to $5 million.

“Purple Hearts” singer reportedly built his wealth through a combination of music industry deals and high-performing digital assets. The rapper has such a wide range of net worth because his income streams were diverse, and his label deal terms are not public record.

An Economics Times report noted that it is very difficult to pin down precisely the net worth estimate for an independent and mid-tier hip-hop artist, because the reported net worth is based on available public data, and not audited financial statements.

Revenue Streams and Assets

• Label Deals: Lil Poppa was signed to Yo Gotti’s CMG (Collective Music Group) in a partnership with Interscope Records. The specific terms of the deal are not public; however, these partnerships typically receive advances in the $200,000 to $500,000 range.
• Streaming Revenue: The rapper had accumulated over 247 million Spotify streams and more than 602 million YouTube views.
  
  At Spotify's average payout of approximately $0.003 to $0.005 per stream, estimating to $740,000 to $1.2 million in cumulative Spotify royalties across his career, before label splits and management fees, according to ET. His daily stream count of 184,316 was generating ongoing royalty income every single day.
  
  Lil Poppa's YouTube channel was generating approximately $15,300 per month — around $183,600 annually — from advertising revenue alone, according to an estimate of analytics platforms. This excludes sponsored content or brand integration deals.

• Live Performances: Lil Poppa's 20-city tour grossed an estimated $500,000 to $1.5 million. A New Orleans show was booked for March 21. A spring 2026 album was in production.
• Merchandise and Partnerships: Revenue from the rapper's independent brand and brand partnerships also contributed to his liquid assets.
• Estate & Legacy: According to financial analysts, his estate—which includes his music catalogue, royalties, and any unfinished works—is expected to be managed for the benefit of his three-year-old son, PJ.

Lil Poppa's Earnings Year by Year

According to an ET report, citing year-by-year revenue data from public analytics platforms, Lil Poppa consistently built his career across seven years.

In 2019, the year of Under Investigation 2 and his Interscope signing, the ‘Love & War’ rapper had an estimated platform revenue of $22,200. This grew to $74,800 and $92,400 in 2021 as the rapper made his Billboard 200 entry.

In 2022, CMG signed him. It was also the year his son PJ was born. Lil Poppa's net worth reached $124,900, his highest annual figure to date. 2024 saw another peak at $115,200.

The rapper's 2025 earnings were estimated at $31,600 by an analytics platform, which reflected streaming revenue only. This estimate did not capture touring, merchandise, or label income, all of which grew significantly.