The son of rapper Lil Jon has reportedly died.
In a statement to TMZ, Lil Jon confirmed his 27-year-old son’s passing: “I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother, Nicole Smith, and I are devastated. Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted — he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest.”
Jon continued, “He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU. We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him. He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together we’re comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him.”
According to reports, Nathan Murray Smith, 27, went missing Tuesday from his home in an Atlanta suburb.
Who is Lil Jon’s son?
Smith, a musician and DJ who goes by DJ Young Slade, followed his award-winning father into the music business. His latest song, “Feels,” was released in March 2025 via Apple Music.
Last year, Smith appeared on MTV’s Family Legacy, a series that looks back at major moments in celebrities’ careers through the eyes of their children. Smith was featured alongside the daughter of Daddy Yankee for an episode that premiered last March exploring their fathers’ most iconic moments.
In an interview for the series, Smith opened up about what it was like growing up with Lil Jon as a father.
“It’s dope to appreciate my dad, show respect, and just look at all the things he’s done, and it’s nice to get the torch passed down and do my own thing,” he said at the time. “Because it’s like it comes from him, but also I’m definitely taking it and making it my own.”
Last May, Smith wrote on Instagram about how much he enjoyed appearing on the game show Family Feud with his father, E40, Too Short, and Shawty Putt.
“Just some of the many cool thangs i been doin lately. Been feeling good life been taking me to amazing places and im enjoying the journey.”
Lil Jon had shared with reporters that it was “cool” to see his son make his way in the music business.
What did the police say?
On Friday, Feb. 6, the Milton Police Department released a statement on social media announcing that a body was recovered from a pond near the house where Smith went missing.
“After being unable to locate Mr. Smith during that time, teams expanded the search to include a pond in Mayfield Park near Smith’s Milton residence,” the statement read. “On February 6, 2026, at approximately 11:53 a.m., divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department located and recovered a body from the pond. The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.”
This is a developing story.
