Tragedy has struck Lil Jon and his family. In a statement to TMZ, he revealed that his son Nathan Smith, also known as Young Slade, had passed away at 27 years old. “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 told the outlet. “He loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest.”
Then, Lil Jon continued eulogizing his late son by expressing his immense pride for his son. “He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU,” he continued. “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.”
Currently, authorities are yet to determine a cause of death for the late 27-year-old. There was no immediate sign of foul play but wouldn’t rule out any current cause. This came on the heels of the Cherokee County Fire Department discovering a body in a local park pond. They thought at the time that it had been Lil Jon’s son but needed to wait on the local medical examiner to confirm for certain.
Lil Jon Shares Heartbreaking Statement in Honor of His Late Son
On February 3rd 2026, Slade went missing in Milton, Georgia and had left his home under “unusual circumstances.” Consequently, the Milton Police Department began an extensive search to find the missing Nathan Smith. At the time, they reported that he left without his phone and might’ve been disoriented.
In a May 2025 interview, Young Slade opened up about his journey into being an artist. Ultimately, his dad Lil Jon was nothing but encouraging along the way. Because he was focused on encouraging him to keep following his dreams, Slade never looked at his old man as the artist we all know. Instead, he was completely demystified of his celebrity and he could just be a father. “It’s trippy because I just see him as Dad, but everybody sees him as Lil Jon,” he said.
As Jon continues to mourn, his fellow artists are encouraging him in his grief along the way. “Bro, I’m truly sorry for your loss. I pray that Allah comforts you and your family and gives you strength through these difficult times. You’re in my prayers always, my brother,” Philly legend Freeway commented on Instagram.
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