Rap Legend E-40 Offers Emotional Support to Grieving Friend Lil Jon
In a poignant display of friendship and solidarity, legendary Bay Area rapper E-40 has reached out with heartfelt condolences to fellow musician Lil Jon following the tragic death of his son. The 58-year-old artist, born Earl Stevens, extended his love and support after learning that Lil Jon's eldest child, Nathan Smith, had passed away at just 27 years old.
Tragic Discovery in Georgia Pond
The devastating news emerged when Lil Jon, 55, shared that his son's body had been recovered from a pond near their family residence in Milton, Georgia. Authorities located Nathan on Thursday, February 6, at 11:53 a.m., ending a days-long search for the missing young man. The Milton Police Department has stated there is currently no indication of foul play, though the investigation remains active and ongoing.
E-40's Emotional Tribute at San Francisco Event
E-40, while attending the Fanatics party in San Francisco, took a moment to publicly address his grieving friend. He affectionately referred to Nathan, who performed under the stage name DJ Young Slade, as his "nephew" and expressed how much he would be missed. "Lil Jon, anything you need that I can provide, I'm here for you," the rapper declared emotionally. "I love you, and you know that, brother. And we're going to miss nephew."
The two hip-hop icons recently reunited on the game show Celebrity Family Feud alongside their respective family members, creating what would become cherished final memories. "We were just on Family Feud together, all of us," E-40 recalled, highlighting the close bond between their families.
Nathan Smith: A Talented Musician Following His Father's Footsteps
Nathan Smith was an accomplished DJ, producer, and engineer who had studied at New York University and was building his own career in the music industry. His father and mother, Nicole Smith, welcomed him in 1998, and Lil Jon also has a younger daughter named Nahara, born in 2024 with his girlfriend Jamila Sozahdah.
In an emotional statement shared with USA Today, Lil Jon described his son as "the kindest human being you would ever meet" who was "immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted." He added: "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."
Longstanding Friendship Between Hip-Hop Icons
The bond between E-40 and Lil Jon stretches back decades, most notably through their collaboration on the early 2000s hit "Snap Yo Fingers" alongside Sean Paul of Youngbloodz. This longstanding professional relationship has blossomed into a deep personal friendship, making E-40's public support during this difficult time particularly meaningful.
On social media, Lil Jon shared his profound grief, posting a reel of throwback photos with the caption: "This hurts so bad. I love you son." Nathan's final Instagram post, dated January 6, showed him posing with his manager Lil Will and rapper Bow Wow at Atlanta's State Farm Arena.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, the hip-hop community and fans worldwide join E-40 in offering condolences to Lil Jon and his family during this unimaginably difficult time.
