Lil Jon lays son Nathan, 27, to rest saying ‘life will never be the same’

Rapper Lil Jon has confirmed that he has laid his son, Nathan Smith, to rest after his death aged 27.

Nathan, who was also known as DJ Young Slade, was reported missing in Georgia on February 3 after he was seen ‘running out of his home’.

At the time, officers reportedly claimed he ‘had left his residence under unusual circumstances’.

On February 6, police announced they had recovered a body from a pond they believed to be Nathan, following a search.

Lil Jon, whose real name is Jonathan Smith has now shared a final goodbye to his son, saying that life will ‘never be the same’ without him.

Sharing a string of photos of his son on Instagram, Lil Jon wrote: ‘On the first day of Ramadan yesterday, we laid my only son to rest.

‘In this holy month, I’m asking for extra du’a for him and for our family. Please pray that Allah grants him Jannah and grants us sabr, mercy, and strength. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

‘I love you, son. Life will never be the same without you. Allah, give me strength.’

He went on to express his thanks to those who had ‘reached out with condolences, love, and prayers.’

‘After being unable to locate Mr Smith during that time, teams expanded the search to include a pond in Mayfield Park near Smith’s Milton residence,” a police statement read.

‘On February 6, 2026, at approximately 11:53 a.m., divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department located and recovered a body from the pond.

‘The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.’

He concluded: ‘I will make sure the world knows your talent and never forgets your name. Nathan Murray Smith.’

Police noted that while their investigation is ongoing, there is ‘no indication of foul play’ and added they could not release further details until the official cause of death has been determined by a coroner.

‘We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time,’ the statement finished.

‘The department respectfully asks the community and members of the media to honour the family’s request for privacy as they grieve and navigate this tragedy.’

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