Lil Jon’s Son DJ Young Slade Found Dead in Georgia Pond
by Mary Spiller
February 7, 2026
Authorities say no foul play is suspected in the death of Nathan Smith, 27, who was reported missing earlier this week.
The body of Nathan Smith, the 27-year-old son of rapper and producer Lil Jon, was discovered Feb. 6 in a pond near his home in Georgia, just days after he was reported missing, according to law enforcement officials and statements from his family.
Smith, who performed under the name DJ Young Slade, was last seen early morning on Feb. 3 in the Milton, Georgia area, about 30 miles north of Atlanta. The Milton Police Department said he was reported missing after leaving his home abruptly without his phone. At the time, authorities warned that he “may be disoriented and in need of assistance.”
After several days of searching, divers from the Cherokee County Fire Department recovered a body from a pond near Smith’s residence shortly before noon on Friday. Police later said the individual found is believed to be Smith, pending official confirmation.
As reported by the New York Times, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will formally identify the body and determine the cause of death. As of Friday evening, the office had not released further details.
Investigators said Smith left his home earlier in the week “under unusual circumstances,” prompting a coordinated search involving multiple agencies. In the final stages of the effort, authorities expanded the search area to include a pond located in Mayfield Park, just a short distance from where Smith was last seen.
Police said there were no immediate signs of foul play connected to his death.
Smith was the only child of Lil Jon, the Grammy Award-winning artist credited with pioneering the Crunk subgenre of Southern Hip-Hop, which dominated airwaves in the early and mid-2000s. Lil Jon is known for hits such as “Get Low,” “Yeah!” with Usher, and “Turn Down for What” alongside DJ Snake.
In an emotional social media post shared Friday, Lil Jon said he and his ex-wife, Nicole Smith, were devastated by the loss of their son. He described Nathan as “the kindest human being you would ever meet” and “an amazingly talented young man.”
According to his father, Smith was an accomplished music producer, artist, and audio engineer who graduated from New York University.
“He was loved and appreciated,” Lil Jon wrote, adding that the family found comfort in knowing that “in our last times together, we expressed that very sentiment to him.”
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as they await final results from the medical examiner.
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