The rapper described his late son as 'the kindest human being you would ever meet.'
, the rapper known for pioneering hip-hop’s crunk sound, confirmed the death of his son on Friday after a days-long missing persons search for him.Friday that his son, Nathan Smith, had died. The 27-year-old’s body was recovered from a pond near the family’s home in Milton, Ga.
, Smith, known professionally as DJ Young Slade, was reported missing Tuesday morning after he had “left his residence under unusual circumstances and could not be located,” the Cherokee County Fire Department divers found Smith’s body in a pond at a nearby park at approximately 11:53 a.m. Friday. An exact cause of death has yet to be reported, although police said there is no indication of foul play. Officials are investigating the incident. “I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother and I are devastated,” Lil Jon wrote on Instagram. “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,” Lil Jon added. The rapper, whose real name is Jonathan Smith, said on Instagram that he and Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith, were devastated by the loss. The couple married in 2004 and announced an “amicable split” in February 2024. Lil Jon, 53, is an Atlanta rapper and producer who was a central figure in the crunk subgenre of hip-hop and is known for songs including “Get Low,” “Turn Down for What” and “Snap Yo Fingers.”Christopher Burch covers food and culture news and trends across New Jersey's 21 counties for NJ Advance Media. Chris graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor or Arts in Journalism, specializing in...
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