Lil Jon has released a heartbreaking statement after police found the body of his son, DJ Young Slade, whose real name is Nathan Smith. The 27-year-old was reported missing earlier this week.
In the statement, Lil John said that he and his son’s mother, Nicole Smith, are “devastated.”
“I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith,” Lil Jon said in a statement to Variety. “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.”
Lil Jon thanked authorities, as well as the community, for their help: “Thank you for all of the prayers and support in trying to locate him over the last several days. Thank you to the entire Milton police department involved,” he said.
What happened to DJ Young Slade?
Smith was reported missing on Tuesday after he went “running out of his home” in Milton, Georgia, according to NBC News.
Police said he “may have been disoriented and in need of assistance” as he left home “under unusual circumstances.” On Friday, police found his body in a pond near his home. Foul play is not suspected, police added.
DJ Young Slade was following in his father’s footsteps in music
Much like his father, Smith was showing off his talents in music—uploading many of his own tracks to SoundCloud and establishing himself around Atlanta, per Variety.
“He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and a graduate of NYU,” Lil Jon’s statement continued. “We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him. He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together, we were comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him.”