He’s a rapper Lil Jon encouraged his fans to “love your people hard” as they looked back on the last father-son trip he took before his son DJ Young Sladehe died at the age of 27.
“To anyone reading this – don’t put your family down,” Lil Jon (real name Jonathan H. Smith) wrote on Instagram on Saturday, May 2. “Don’t say ‘I’ll see them later’ or ‘We can do that later.’ Don’t skip long hugs dont be frugal. Make lasting memories if you can. We all think we have time… but we don’t know Allah’s plan.”
Lil Jon, 55, confirmed it in his statement Us Weekly on February 6 when his son Nathan Smith (aka DJ Young Slade) was found dead three days after he went missing in Georgia. An autopsy revealed that Nathan died of accidental drowning at the site of psilocybin use. (Psilocybin is another name for magic mushrooms, which can induce hallucinogenic effects due to the psychoactive compound.)
In Saturday’s post, Lil Jon reflected on what it meant to bond with Nathan on a birthday trip to Japan in 2024.
“Two years ago, I asked Slade what he wanted to do for his birthday.” He said, ‘go to Japan,'” he recalled. “Little did I know that this trip would be our last father-son trip…
The singer continued, “I gave him options for everything, and he made his own choice. We did everything – from museums and food tours to Michelin-starred sushi places. We even watched samurai swords being made … and got to use them.”
The birthday trip included Lil Jon and his son taking an anime drawing class together and experiencing some “drifting culture.”
“It was expensive, but I didn’t care — I saw how much fun it made him. He told me it was the most fun he’d ever had on any trip,” he recalled. “It’s different now, knowing we won’t make memories like that again.”
He tipped his hat with some important advice to fans, writing, “Love your people hard. You never know when it’s your last hug.”
When news of Nathan’s death broke in February, Lil Jon said Us in a statement saying he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss” of his son.
“His mother [Nicole Smith] and I’m devastated,” he said, “Nathan was the kindest person you’ve ever met. He was very caring, considerate, polite, passionate and warm – he loved his family and friends to the fullest.
His statement continued, “He was an incredibly talented young man; a record producer, artist and engineer and a graduate of NYU. We loved Nathan with all our hearts and are incredibly proud of him. He was loved and cherished, and in our last moments together, it comforts us to know that we shared that feeling with him.”
On February 20, Lil Jon shared that his son had been laid to rest two weeks after his death.
The cause of death of Ethan Browne, an actor and producer, has been revealed. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed on Tuesday, January 13, that Ethan, the son of songwriter Jackson Browne, died “from the effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine and lidocaine,” according to documents obtained by Us Weekly. The medical examiner determined the manner of death to be correct […]
“On the first day of Ramadan yesterday, we put my only son to rest. In this holy month, I ask for another du’a for him and our family,” he wrote alongside the memorial video. “I love you son, life will never be the same without you. May Allah give me strength.”
Georgia police announced on February 6 that they would find Nathan’s body in a lake in Mayfield Park near his home. She reportedly left her home “confused and in need of help,” according to the Milton Police Department.
“We offer our condolences to the Smith family at this difficult time,” the police statement said. “The department respectfully asks the public and the media to respect the family’s request for privacy as they are grieving and dealing with this tragedy.”
Lil Jon is also a father to daughter Nahara, whom he welcomed with his girlfriend, Jamila Sozahdahin 2024.
