Key Takeaways

• DJ Young Slade, real name Nathan Smith, was a rising artist in Atlanta’s music scene.
• Lil Jon released a statement reflecting on his son’s life and creative journey.
• Police say there is no indication of foul play, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Lil Jon is speaking out after police confirmed that a body believed to be his son, Nathan Smith, was recovered from a pond near the family’s home in Milton, Georgia.

On Friday (Feb. 6), the Milton Police Department announced that divers located a body in a pond at Mayfield Park following several days of intensive search efforts. Nathan had been reported missing earlier in the week, prompting widespread concern and a public missing person alert.

Shortly after the news broke, Lil Jon shared a statement, expressing his grief and honoring his 27-year-old son’s life. “I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother and I are devastated,” he said. “Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted — he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest. He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU.”

He continued, “We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him. He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together, we’re comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him.”

The rapper also thanked law enforcement, first responders, and volunteers who assisted in the search. “Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days,” he said, later naming multiple agencies and individuals involved in the effort.

How Nathan Smith’s search unfolded in Milton, Georgia

According to a statement shared by the Milton Police Department on Facebook, officers responded to a missing adult report on Tuesday (Feb. 3). “On the morning of Feb. 3, 2026, Milton Police Department officers responded to a report of a missing adult in the area of Baldwin Drive in Milton, Georgia,” the statement read. “Responding officers determined that a Milton resident, Nathan Smith, had left his residence under unusual circumstances and could not be located.”

Authorities said Nathan was last seen around 6 a.m., left on foot, and did not have a phone. A missing person flyer circulated that same day as family, friends, and police searched for him. After days without locating him, police expanded the search area. “On Feb. 6, 2026, at approximately 11:53 a.m., divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department located and recovered a body from the pond,” the statement said. “The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.” Police noted there is “no indication of foul play” at this time and emphasized that the case remains active.

Nathan, who performed under the name DJ Young Slade or Slade, was carving out his own path in music. He released the single “Feels” in March 2025 and previously appeared on MTV’s “Family Legacy,” where he spoke openly about growing up as Lil Jon’s son while building his own identity.

Lil Jon, born Jonathan Smith, shares Nathan with his estranged wife, Nicole Smith. The two married in 2004 and announced an amicable split in 2024 after several years apart. As the family grieves, both Lil Jon and police have asked for privacy while remembering Nathan as a creative, compassionate young man whose life extended far beyond the tragedy.