Lil Jon says he is "extremely heartbroken" after authorities in Georgia recovered a body, which the rapper now says is his missing 27-year-old son, Nathan Smith, from a pond near the younger man's home. In a Friday statement to USA Today, Lil Jon and Smith's mother, Nicole Smith, said they were "devastated" by the loss and asked for privacy as they grieve. "Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet," Lil Jon (real name: Jonathan Smith) said, describing his son as caring, thoughtful, and talented.
The younger Smith, a music producer, artist, and engineer who graduated from New York University, performed under the name DJ Young Slade and had been building his own career in music while honoring his father's influence. "We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him," the statement continued, adding that the family took comfort in having recently expressed that love to him.
Smith was reported missing on Tuesday "under unusual circumstances," police said, per the AP. He vanished in Milton, Georgia, after he left his home on foot around 6am without his phone, per USA Today. Police said at the time he may have been "disoriented and in need of assistance." After widening the search on Friday, divers from the Cherokee County Fire Department found a body in a pond near his residence just before noon. Milton police said the individual is believed to be Smith but that official identification, as well as the cause and manner of death, will come from the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. Investigators said there's currently no indication of foul play, but the case remains open.
Smith had been DJing since childhood—Lil Jon has said his son started at 11, graduating from the Scratch DJ Academy in Los Angeles at age 12—later spinning in LA clubs and releasing his own tracks. In a past interview, Smith said it was "nice to get the torch passed down and do my own thing," calling it "dope to appreciate my dad" while carving out his own identity in music. On Instagram on Friday, Lil Jon wrote, "This hurts so bad. I love you son."
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