Rapper Lil John (Real name: Jonathan H. Smith) and his family are mourning the loss of their son Nathan Smithalso known as DJ Young Slade, after the 27-year-old disappeared in Georgia in early February 2026.
“The family requests privacy at this time,” a statement from Lil Jon and his family said. E! news.
Find out what we know so far about Nathan’s disappearance here.
How many children does Lil Jon have?
Lil Jon has two children: his son, Nathan, and his daughter, Nahara. The “Turn Down for What” hitmaker shares Nathan with his estranged wife, Nicole Smith. Nathan was born in 1998. In the year 2024, John welcomed Nahara with his girlfriend, Jamila Suzahda.
Nathan followed in his father’s footsteps into the music industry, something Lil Jon smiled about during a 2017 interview with sticky magazine.
“I remember changing his diapers, he couldn’t even talk yet, he couldn’t walk yet, he would crawl and come in the back when I made music and beat the drum pads, and now he produces his own music on the Clive Davis Show at NYU,” John said. “He really knows how to engineer, and his stuff looks really good. So, with him and these kids, it’s amazing to see those ideas and see people grow.”
What happened to Lil Jon’s son Nathan Smith?
Nathan, also known as Young Slade, was reported missing by the Milton Police Department in Georgia. Before his disappearance, Nathan was last seen leaving his home on February 3, 2026 on foot and is currently without his phone, according to a missing person alert issued by the police department.
According to the Milton Police Department, Nathan may also be “disoriented and in need of assistance,” and his “family and friends are concerned for his safety.”
His last known location was “in the vicinity” of Baldwin Dr/Mayfield Rd. The news alert noted in Milton, Georgia.
Where is Nathan “DJ Young Slade” now?
Unfortunately, Nathan died after police found a body in a pond.
“After being unable to locate Mr. Smith during that period, teams expanded their search to include a pond in Mayfield Park near Smith’s residence in Milton,” the Milton Police Department announced on social media. “On February 6, 2026, at approximately 11:53 a.m., Cherokee County Fire Department divers located and recovered a body from the pond. The person is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.”
According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner, the cause of death was ruled accidental “drowning in the setting of psilocybin use,” according to an autopsy report obtained by the people.
