"Turn Down for What" rapper Lil Jon was left devastated this week after confirming the death of his 27-year-old son, Nathan Smith.
The child of Lil Jon and his former partner, Nicole Smith, Nathan was said to have left his home at about 6:00 in the morning on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. He's said to have been seen running away from the home in Milton, Georgia, though it's unclear if he was under any kind of duress.
Three days after disappearing from his home, Nathan was found dead in a residential pond nearby.
Lil Jon has since confirmed that the young man who was found was, in fact, his son, also known as DJ Young Slade.
In an Instagram post, Lil Jon shared:
"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."
"He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and a 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 were comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him."
"Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days."
You can see the Instagram post here:
The news also spread to X, where X users expressed their condolences.
The Milton police department have not shared many details at this time, but they do not believe foul play was involved.
They are, however, continuing their investigation. Based on what they know about his departure from his home, they currently believe that Nathan may have been disoriented when he disappeared and was in need of help.
We hope that Lil Jon and his family will be able to find peace during this unimaginably difficult time.
@WhiteHouse/X
