U.S. rapper Lil Jon says he is “extremely heartbroken” after the body of his son was pulled from a Georgia lake by authorities.
“I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother [Nicole Smith] and I are devastated,” the Grammy-winning artist, real name Jonathan Smith, said in a statement shared with The Independent.
“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.”
Milton Police Department identified the body as 27-year-old Smith, who was reported missing earlier this week, in an online post, adding that there was “no indication of foul play.”
Smith, who makes music under the name DJ Young Slade, was last seen Tuesday at 6 a.m. local time in Milton, a suburb 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta. Search efforts had lasted for three days and later expanded to include a pond in Mayfield Park near his home.
On Friday at approximately 11:53 a.m., divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department located and recovered a body from the pond, believed to be Smith, pending confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time,” MPD wrote on Facebook.
“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.”
Smith is Lil Jon’s only child with his estranged wife, Nicole Smith.
The couple married in 2004 and Lil Jon announced their breakup in February 2024, saying that they had split nearly two years earlier.
The “Yeah!” rapper, 55, also has a daughter, Nahara, with his girlfriend Jamila Sozahdah. He is best known for early 2000s club hits like “Get Low,” “Snap Yo Fingers,” and, later, “Turn Down For What.” In recent years, he has been outspoken about his political opinions, and performed at the Democratic National Convention in 2024.
Smith has followed in his father’s footsteps as a musician, releasing his latest song, “Feels,” in March 2025. Lil Jon said on The Big Podcast in 2023 that Smith started DJing at age 11.
