Music icon Lil Jon and his family are mourning the tragic passing of his 27-year-old son, Nathan Smith, known to the music world as DJ Young Slade.
MILTON, GA — A multi-agency search for the son of Grammy-winning producer Lil Jon ended in tragedy on Friday morning. Authorities have confirmed that a body recovered from a local pond is believed to be that of 27-year-old Nathan Smith, known professionally in the music industry as DJ Young Slade.
The search began early Tuesday, February 3, after Smith reportedly ran out of his residence in the suburban Atlanta town of Milton. According to police reports, Smith left on foot at approximately 6 a.m. without his mobile phone. Early alerts from the Milton Police Department suggested that the young producer may have been disoriented and in need of medical assistance at the time of his disappearance.
Following several days of intensive searching involving K-9 units, bloodhounds, and divers from multiple jurisdictions, the Cherokee County Fire Department located a body in a pond within Mayfield Park, located near Smith’s home. While a formal identification from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office is still pending, investigators have stated they believe the individual is Smith. At this stage, officials report no signs of foul play, though the investigation remains “open and active.”
A Family Devastated Lil Jon (born Jonathan Smith) and Nathan’s mother, Nicole Smith, issued a joint statement expressing their profound grief.
“Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet,” the statement read. “He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted. He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU.”
Nathan Smith was a rising star in his own right. An NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate, he began his career as a teenager, even touring as a DJ for Zendaya at the age of 14. He most recently appeared on MTV’s Family Legacy, where he spoke about his pride in carving out a unique identity in the hip-hop scene while honoring his father’s massive influence.
The family has requested privacy during this difficult time.