Lil Jon’s son: What’s known about Nathan “DJ Young Slade” Smith

Lil Jon and his family are mourning the death of his son, Nathan “DJ Young Slade” Smith, after a multi-day search in Milton, Georgia ended with the recovery of a body from a pond near his home. The death has sparked an outpouring of grief across music circles and raised fresh questions about what happened in the hours before he disappeared.

Smith was 27.

The search that ended on Feb. 6

Smith was reported missing on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, after concerns grew that he had left home and could not be reached. Local authorities launched a search effort that expanded over the following days, including ground teams and divers.

On Friday, February 6, 2026, divers located a body in a pond near Smith’s residence. Officials said the body was believed to be Smith’s, with formal identification and final findings handled through the medical examiner’s process. Police said there were no immediate signs pointing to foul play, but the investigation into the circumstances remained open.

As of Sunday, February 8, 2026 (ET), a specific cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.

The family’s statement and the public response

Lil Jon and Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith, released a joint public statement confirming the death and asking for privacy. They described Smith as a kind and deeply loved son and emphasized pride in his work and character.

The family’s message quickly drew condolences from fellow artists and fans, many of whom highlighted Smith’s behind-the-scenes contributions as a producer and engineer rather than a headline-seeking public persona. The case has also prompted a wave of renewed attention to the strain families face during missing-person searches—especially when the missing individual is connected to a well-known figure.

Who Nathan “DJ Young Slade” Smith was

Smith worked under the stage name DJ Young Slade and was active as a music producer, artist, and engineer. He had built his career in the orbit of hip-hop and club music while establishing his own identity apart from his father’s fame.

Publicly available biographical details describe Smith as a graduate of New York University and as someone who collaborated with other artists and appeared in entertainment programming connected to his family’s legacy. Friends and supporters have described him as dedicated to the craft of making records—someone more comfortable shaping sound in the studio than courting attention.

That profile is part of why his disappearance initially surprised many observers: he was locally known and professionally connected, but not a constant presence in celebrity headlines.

What investigators are still trying to clarify

Authorities have not released a detailed public narrative of Smith’s final movements, and several specifics remain unclear. In cases like this, investigators typically work to reconstruct a timeline using a mix of witness interviews, digital data, and neighborhood video.

Key questions that remain open include:

• When Smith was last definitively seen, and by whom

• Whether there were indications of disorientation or distress before he went missing

• The sequence of events that led from his last known location to where the body was found

• Whether environmental factors played a role

Officials have indicated the case does not show immediate evidence of foul play, but that assessment can evolve as medical and investigative findings develop.

The wider moment for Lil Jon and his family

Lil Jon, known for shaping the sound of early-2000s crunk and crossover club hits, has long kept much of his family life relatively private. Smith’s death is now the most visible family event connected to the artist in years, and it has prompted many fans to revisit earlier moments where father and son appeared together publicly.

For the music community, the loss lands as another reminder that the industry’s next generation includes many creators who work outside the spotlight—engineers, producers, and writers whose names rarely headline tours but whose work shapes the records people live with.

In the days ahead, the public picture of what happened is likely to depend on whether authorities release additional investigative details and whether the medical examiner confirms a cause of death.

Sources consulted: Reuters, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, People