Lil Jon Confirms His Son Has Passed Away

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Police Believe Lil Jon Son DJ Young Slade Dead Missing
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Lil Jon confirmed the passing of his son DJ Young Slade after he went missing in Georgia earlier this week.

Lil Jon and his family are going through a very rough time right now, as his son DJ Young Slade (real name Nathan Smith) went missing in Georgia on Tuesday (February 3). Via a Facebook post, the Milton Police Department announced that they discovered a body in a pond near the Smith's home in Milton, Georgia, whom they believed to be Nathan Smith.

Now, the rapper has confirmed to TMZ on Friday (February 6) that his son has passed away. "I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith," he stated. "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 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."

Jon also reportedly thanked the Milton Police Department for their help.

Who Is Lil Jon's Son, DJ Young Slade?

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Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Recording artist Lil Jon performs at halftime of Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images

According to the police department, the Cherokee County Fire Department recovered a body from a Mayfield Park pond on Friday morning (February 6). Per the investigation so far, there is no indication or suspicion of foul play. However, they made it clear that they will continue their investigations and not reveal further details until they confirmed details with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time," the Milton PD's post read. "The department respectfully asks the community and members of the media to honor the family’s request for privacy as they grieve and navigate this tragedy."

For those unaware, Lil Jon's son DJ Young Slade took his father's lead and entered the music industry. He made strides as an artist, DJ, and performer. Smith also participated in MTV's Family Legacy reality television series.

According to police, Nathan Smith may have been disoriented, needing help, and without his phone when he reportedly walked out of the Milton, Georgia home barefoot. We don't know many other details about when he went missing. But this investigation still has a long way to go.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Lil Jon and his family as they navigate this difficult and harrowing time.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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