Rapper Lil Jonconfirmed the death of his son, Nathan Smith, after Georgia police said a body recovered from a pond Friday was believed to be the 27-year-old.
Lil Jon addressed the death of his sonin a Friday, Feb. 6, statement to USA TODAY, saying he and Smith's mother, Nicole Smith, are "extremely heartbroken" and "devastated."
"Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted," he said in the statement. "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."
The statement 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. Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days."
"This hurts so bad. I love you son," he wrote on an Instagram post Friday.
View this post on Instagram
Police in Milton, Georgia, issueda missing persons report on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for Nathan Smith, also a rapper who goes by the name DJ Young Slade.
The Milton Police Department said in a statementthat after expanding the search for Smith, divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department found the body in the water near Smith's home at 11:53 a.m. on Feb. 6.
"The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith," the police statement said. Official confirmation of the identity will come from the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.
"Based on the investigation to date, there is no indication of foul play," police said, adding that they'll continue to treat this "as an open and active investigation. No further details will be released until the official cause and manner of death are determined by the Fulton County Medical Examiner and all investigative leads have been thoroughly examined."
DJ Young Slade:Lil Jon's son missing, Georgia police say – What we know
When did Nathan Smith go missing?
Smith ran out of his home around 6 a.m. on Feb. 3, according to police. He left on foot without his phone, the report says, adding that he "may be disoriented and in need of assistance."
"The family is asking for privacy at this time. We are also asking for continued prayers for Nathan to come home safe. Thank you," a rep for Lil Jon said in a statement to USA TODAY on Feb. 4.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time," Milton Police said in the statement. "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."
His last Instagram post was shared on Jan. 6, showing him with manager Lil Will andrapper Bow Wowat the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
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"Three generations. One culture. Legacy isn't a moment, it's a continuum. Young Slade 🤝 Bow Wow 🤝 Lil Will. Real lineage. Real respect," the post's caption reads. "Legacy over hype. Different eras, same code. Real respect, real relationships, real history. Still building. Still standing. Still us."
DJ Young Slade attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on Sept. 11, 2024, in Elmont, New York." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Lil Jon's son found dead at 27. Revisit his career as DJ Young Slade.
DJ Young Slade attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on Sept. 11, 2024, in Elmont, New York.
Who was DJ Young Slade?
Nathan Smith, the son of Lil Jon and his ex-partner Nicole Smith, was a DJ and musician just like his dad.
"Lade released this when he graduated from college. He was so happy to express his art n do it himself. I was so proud of him for doing it all on his own," Lil Son wrote on Instagram promotinga song called "Move Thru Fire."
Under the stage name DJ Young Slade, Smith aimed to follow in his father's footsteps while also paving his own lane. In March 2025, he dropped anew single titled "Feels"that premiered on MTV.
"It's dope to appreciate my dad, show respect, and just look at all the things he's done, and it's nice to get the torch passed down and do my own thing," Smith toldThe Quintessential Gentlemanfollowing the release of the track in March. "Because it's like it comes from him, but also I'm definitely taking it and making it my own."
Lil Jon previously said his son started DJing at age 11 and graduated from the Scratch DJ Academy in Los Angeles at age 12, according toPeople. As a teenager, he DJed at various LA clubs before making his own music.
"It's literally in your kid's genes to do what you do," he said, per People. "It is in their genes. It is in their DNA. We pass everything we get and we learn down to our children. So he was destined to be in the music business and do music."
Lil Jon,whose legal name is Jonathan Smith, is an Atlanta-born rapper andrecord producerwho rose to prominence in the early 2000s. Known for tracks like "Snap Yo Fingers" and "Turn Down For What," he is credited as one of the godfathers of modern club hip-hop.
He and Nicole Smith married in 2004 and later separated in 2022. The rapper is also a father to daughter Nahara, whom he shares with girlfriend Jamila Sozahdah.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Lil Jon son dead, body pulled from pond in police search – Update
