Lil Jon’s son, DJ Young Slade, has passed away.
The rapper confirmed the loss after authorities in Georgia said they believe his body was discovered in a nearby pond.
“I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith,” Lil Jon said in a statement to TMZ.
“His mother, Nicole Smith, and I are devastated. 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 incredibly gifted young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and a graduate of NYU,” Jon continued. “We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are deeply proud of him. He was truly loved and appreciated, and in our final moments together, we take comfort in knowing we shared that with him.”
On Friday morning, Milton Police said the Cherokee County Fire Department located a body in a park pond during their search for the 27-year-old. Authorities believed it was Young Slade, born Nathan Smith, but noted they were still awaiting confirmation from the local medical examiner regarding the body’s identity and cause of death.
At the time the body was discovered, authorities said there were no signs of foul play, though the case is still being actively investigated.
News broke on Tuesday that Slade had gone missing.
“[Smith] ran out of his house and has been missing since,” police said. “[Smith] left on foot and does not possess a phone. He may be disoriented and in need of assistance. Family and friends are concerned for his safety.”
Slade had been carving out his own path in music, following closely in his father’s footsteps. Just last year, he spoke about pursuing life as an artist and credited his dad for teaching him to “keep going” and “work hard” at his craft.
“It’s trippy because I just see him as Dad, but everybody sees him as Lil Jon,” Slade told Big Facts Network.
