In 2007, at just 7 years old, Jacksonville, Fla. rapper Lil Poppa got his start in rap, writing music for his church under the tutelage of his older brother. By the time he was 10, he was rapping ...

Amid the humble Florida rapper’s croons and raps about life and pain, there’s a unique voice that’s starting to emerge. Lil Poppa probably wouldn’t mind if he didn’t get any more popular.

Just take Legend Yae’s Drugs and a Mic Too, released last month, and Lil Poppa’s Heavy Is the Head, from November. Both are driven by haunted blues and clear-eyed reflections, and both ...

Every week, The FADER’s Brandon Callender shares his highlights from across the rap world, from megastar artists to the deep underground. Lil Poppa approaches songwriting like a pointillist.