Who Is Lil Poppa?
Jacksonville, FL became a hotbed for talent in recent years, though Lil Poppa could be the most promising export. However, the grim realities of the city became a central force of his artistry. The pain-riddled melodies are coupled with vivid accounts of growing up in Jacksonville, Florida. Above all, he considers his music a survival guide to make it out of such harsh environments.
The budding star began making music at the age of 12 following a stint writing for his church just two years prior. However, his maturity and life experiences in the following years developed his songwriting skills further. 2018’s “Purple Hearts” was a turning point that provided a form of escape during a trying time in his life. The record grapples with survivor’s guilt following the deaths of his two best friends. The auto-tune in his voice induces pain and anxiety but he crafted bars that felt wise beyond his years. At this point, Poppa’s passion ultimately transformed into a therapeutic outlet. As a result, the feelings of grief and solitude cultivated a loyal fanbase. 2021’s Blessed, I Guess was an exemplary body of work revealing his maturity since he began to make waves. The album captured his ability to turn these harrowing emotions into beautiful poetry.
However, it was 2019’s Under Investigation 2 that set him up for success in the years that followed. The 11-song effort found Lil Poppa swapping bars with formidable artists who carried the same M.O. Mozzy, his label mate at CMG, not only appeared on the project but later returned the favor when he invited Poppa onto “Price Tag” with Polo G off of the Sacramento rapper’s critically acclaimed, Beyond Bulletproof in 2020. The unadulterated thoughts seeped through gloomy Southern production that related to a wider audience than ever before.
Given that he watched his brother pursue a career in music, Poppa naturally gained a passion for crafting bars. Then, he mixed with the ethos of Southern mainstays like Boosie Badazz and Webbie. The combination of these influences formed the foundation of his undeniably riveting sound that relies on the brute honesty that he masks through his melodic delivery.
Lil Poppa is emerging as a singular voice representing the South, minted by a deal with Yo Gotti's CMG. Following the deal, he released the third installment in the Under Investigation series at the top of 2022. But even after turning the projects into a trilogy, he considers his CMG debut as much of a formal introduction as his previous efforts.
“[I’m] getting everybody familiar with me and to this day, I feel like when people go back and listen to my first project, they still do that. Like they still getting a chance to know me,” he says, adding that his mood is the primary indicator of his creative direction on any given song or project. “Whatever mood I’m in is whatever’s gonna come [out in] the music at the time.”
Check out Lil Poppa's acapella of "Pledge" below, and the latest episode of On The Come Up with Lil Poppa. The Jacksonville, FL rapper discusses a dream collab with Juice WRLD, the reality of the music industry, and more.
HNHH: How’d you get into music?
Lil Poppa: The way I got into music, my big brother was already rapping before me so I mean, I guess it was something I felt was already in me ‘cause when it was my turn to start, when I was ready to learn, it wasn't a hard process for me. It was easy as far as the writing stages, recording stages, and it was time for it so.
Who are some of your musical inspirations?
My musical inspirations would probably be Lil Boosie and Webbie.
What was the turning point where you realized you were on your way to becoming successful? What was that moment for you where you were like, “I’m doing something right.”
I haven't had that moment yet. I haven't had that moment until where I felt I’ve reached the moment of success. I’m still going, I’m still waiting for it.
You just gotta stay sharp, keep your head on a swivel, stay out of the way. It’s about survival.
What do you think it would take to get there? What do you think that moment would look like for you?
Well, I know I wanna be where I’m comfortable, you feel me?
If a music fan were to discover you today for the first time, what song do you think they should listen to first?
If a music fan were to discover me for the first time, the first song I think they probably should listen to would be probably either “To The Point” or “Love And War.” They everybody’s favorite songs. So probably them two.
Tell me a valuable lesson you’ve learned during your come-up.
A valuable lesson I’ve learned during my come up. This lesson has already been known but don't trust nobody. That's it. Probably the main one.
Like in the industry or back home or…
Period. Period. Anybody. Everyone closest to you. The ones sleeping next to you. Don't trust ‘em.
Summarize your debut project and what inspired it. Like, what led to it’s making?
Summary of my first project would probably be an introduction. Like, the beginning, introducing me to everybody. Know what I’m saying, getting everybody familiar with me and to this day, I feel like when people go back and listen to my first project, they still do that. Like, they still getting a chance to know me.
What inspired you to make that, to even… “You know what, f*ck it. I’ma make a whole mixtape.”
What inspired me to make that? I mean… I guess, it just be in me, you feel me? It just in me. Like, whatever mood I’m in at the time, you feel me, that’s the creative spot I’m in, as well. So whatever mood I’m in is whatever’s gonna come around the music at the time.
Tell me about your hometown and how it influences your music.
I'm from Jacksonville, Florida. So my hometown is just like anybody else hometown, you feel me? You just gotta stay sharp, keep your head on a swivel, stay out of the way. It’s about survival. That’s all, just gotta survive.
How did having that mindset, keeping your head on a swivel, knowing your surroundings, and all that? How did all of that have an impact on your music?
As long as you got the mindset of survival, you’re always gonna survive, you know what I’m saying? Until it’s your time. So I mean, sh*t, like that’s all it was. I just knew, like, I can’t slip up. I can’t be another victim. Just made me keep my head on a swivel until I was able to get up out of there.
I’d probably say a song with probably Juice WRLD. That’s probably the only person I wanted to work with.
Where do you hope your music career takes you?
Far away from everybody. I don’t even plan on doing this in the next couple years. Honestly, I hope it takes me somewhere I don’t gotta be around nobody. Honestly. I just wanna go far away. Like I don’t really plan on-- like, I don’t really care what comes from the music. If I reach none of the peaks that I plan on reaching before, it don’t matter to me no more. My love not for the music no more. Feel me? I’m just gone honestly, no cap. I’m just making the music. It’s about the money at this point. I ain’t even gonna lie to you. It ain’t even bout my passion for music no more, I ain’t have it no more.
What do you think of your gig? Getting enough bread…
Like I said, get enough bread to fall of the face, you feel me? Like, just go missing. Away from everybody. Truth of it. That’s the plan, yup.
If you could create a dream song, unlimited budget, what would it sound like and who would you put on the feature? Current artist, past tense, somebody no longer with us…
I don’t know. Dream song that I could create? I don’t really know. I feel like I done collabed with everybody that I wanted to collab with. I’d probably say a song with probably Juice WRLD. That’s probably the only person I wanted to work with.
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring musician on the come up, what would it be?
If I could give any advice to an aspiring musician, don’t get in this field [laughs]. Sh*t, I ain’t even gonna lie to you, I’mma keep it all the way a buck. Find something else you wanna do. Have a backup plan-- plan B, put it like that. Always have a plan B.