Rapper Lil Jon has asked for prayers and privacy after his 27-year-old son, Nathan Smith, was reported missing in Georgia on Tuesday. Smith, who performs as DJ Young Slade, was last seen at 6 a.m. local time in Milton, a suburb about 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta, according to the Milton Police Department.
Police said Smith ran out of his house and has been missing since. He left on foot without a phone and may be disoriented and in need of assistance. The report describes him as 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, and anyone with information is asked to call 678-297-6300.
A statement from Lil Jon's representative said: “The family is asking for privacy at this time. We are also asking for continued prayers for Nathan to come home safe. Thank you.” As of Wednesday, police said Smith was still missing with no further updates.
Smith is the only child of Lil Jon, whose real name is Jonathan Smith, and his estranged wife Nicole. The couple married in 2004, and Lil Jon announced their split in February 2024, saying they had separated nearly two years earlier. The 55-year-old rapper, known for hits such as “Get Low” and “Turn Down For What,” also has a daughter, Nahara, with his girlfriend Jamila Sozahdah.
Smith has followed his father into music, releasing his latest song, “Feels,” in March 2025. Lil Jon previously said on a podcast that Smith began DJing at age 11 and graduated from Scratch DJ Academy at 12. His most recent Instagram post, shared in January, showed him with his manager, Lil Will, and rapper Bow Wow backstage at an event in Atlanta. Lil Will also appealed for privacy, writing that Smith is “more than a client, it’s a brother.”
