Police find body of Lil Jon's son in Georgia pond; rapper confirms death: Here's what we know

Rapper Lil Jon has confirmed that his son, Nathan Smith, 27, has died, in a statement on his Instagram page after police recovered a body in a pond north of Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, February 6.

The statement read, “I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother [Nicole Smith] and I are devastated.”

Snap Yo Fingers rapper Lil Jon described his son as an “amazingly talented young man” who was a music producer, artist, engineer, and New York University graduate.

“Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days. Thank you to the entire Milton Police Department involved,” the rapper Lil Jon added.

Nathan Smith, 27, was last seen leaving his home in Milton early Tuesday morning, February 3, as per the details provided by the Milton Police Department.

For the unversed, Milton is a suburban town located about 30 miles north of Atlanta.

Milton Police officials have ruled out any foul play, saying, “Based on the investigation to date, there is no indication of foul play,” but insist, “However, the Milton Police Department Criminal Investigations Division will continue to treat this as an open and active investigation.”

Milton police has so far not released any further details until the cause of death is determined by the medical examiner.

The Milton police began an immediate search for the missing Nathan Smith, known professionally as DJ Young Slade, soon after he was reported missing.

After the officials didn’t locate him, they expanded the search mission, collaborating with other agencies, and that included a pond near Smith’s home.

Just before midday on Friday, February 6, divers from the fire department officials of Cherokee County discovered a body in the pond.

“The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office,” Milton police added in a statement released on their Facebook page.

Who is Lil Jon?

Lil Jon, whose real name is Jonathan Smith, is an Atlanta rapper and producer who was an iconic figure in the high-energy subgenre of hip-pop.

He is widely known for songs including 2002’s Get Low with his group the East Side Boyz, Snap Yo Fingers (2006), and 2013’s Turn Down for What with DJ Snake.

Lil Jon has a daughter, Nahara, who was born in 2024.