Lil Jon has described the ways he keeps his son Nathan’s memory close while grieving his death, including returning to old interviews to hear his voice. In a conversation with CNN’s All There Is podcast, he also recalled a final phone call in which he apologized and told Nathan he recognized and heard him. He said he did not know then that it would be their last conversation.
Nathan Smith, 27, a musician and producer known as DJ Young Slade, died in February 2026. CNN reported that his death was an accidental drowning. CBS Atlanta reported that Smith was reported missing on February 3 and that divers found his body in a pond near his Milton, Georgia, home three days later.
Lil Jon told USA TODAY that Nathan’s best friend later told him his son had been glad the two were on good terms. The report presents that message as a source of comfort for Lil Jon. He has also said he speaks publicly about grief in the hope that it may help others coping with loss.
Bereavement support and the limits of safety guidance
For families facing the death of a child, The Compassionate Friends says it offers bereavement support through more than 500 chapters across the United States, including Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Its Atlanta Chapter lists an in-person meeting on the second Tuesday of each month and a Zoom meeting on the third Tuesday; people seeking details are advised to contact the chapter.
The drowning also makes general water-safety advice relevant, though it cannot establish what happened in Smith’s case. The American Red Cross advises against using alcohol or drugs before or while swimming, diving, or supervising swimmers. That broad recommendation does not determine the circumstances of this specific death.
