In a deeply moving moment now resurfacing online, Lil Jon’s Son Praised His Father in an Emotional Interview Just a Year Before His Death, offering a rare and heartfelt glimpse into their close bond.
Lil Jon’s late son, Nathan Smith, also known as DJ Young Slade, spoke candidly in a March 2025 interview with nonprofit organization 360 Baseline about the kind of father Lil Jon had always been to him. Nearly a year before his passing, Nathan described his dad as consistently present and deeply involved in his life.
During the interview, Nathan shared that Lil Jon would “always show up,” even turning down professional gigs to be there for important milestones like birthdays when he was growing up. He emphasized that he never worried about his father fitting into harmful stereotypes about absentee parenting, saying his dad was simply “always there” when it mattered most.
Tragically, Nathan was pronounced dead on Friday afternoon, just days after he was reported missing from his home in Georgia. Authorities began searching for him earlier in the week, and his body was later discovered in a pond near his residence. The circumstances surrounding how he ended up there remain unclear, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Lil Jon confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement first shared with TMZ, expressing that he and Nathan’s mother, Nicole, are “heartbroken” by the loss. He remembered his son as “the kindest human being you would ever meet,” praising him as immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted.
As fans and loved ones mourn, Nathan’s words from that interview now carry even more weight—serving as a lasting testament to the strong, loving relationship he shared with his father and the legacy of love he leaves behind.
