Tragic Loss: Death of Lil Jon’s Son Nathan Smith
Rap artist Lil Jon (born Jonathan H. Smith) and his family are grieving after the death of his 27-year-old son, Nathan Smith, who performed as DJ Young Slade. Police and family confirmed that a body believed to be Nathan’s was found in a pond near his home in Milton, Georgia , just north of Atlanta, on February 6, 2026. Authorities expanded a search after Nathan was reported missing on February 3, when he ran out of his home on foot, without a phone and possibly disoriented. Lil Jon and Nathan’s mother, Nicole Smith, released a joint statement describing their devastating loss and expressing gratitude to search teams. While official confirmation and the cause of death are pending from the Fulton County Medical Examiner , police have said there’s no sign of foul play so far. Nathan was remembered as kind, thoughtful, passionate, and deeply loved by both family and friends. He was a talented DJ, music producer, artist, and engineer who graduated from New York University and ...