The rapper remembered Nathan Smith, his eldest, after his sudden death as “the kindest human being you would ever meet.”

Lil Jon shares emotional video from final father-son trip before DJ Young Slade’s death: ‘Love your people hard’

The rapper remembered Nathan Smith, his eldest, after his sudden death as "the kindest human being you would ever meet."

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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May 3, 2026 11:12 p.m. ET

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Lil Jon and Nathan Smith in New York City in 2018. Credit:

Kevin Mazur/Getty

- Lil Jon is taking an emotional look back at his final father-son trip with Nathan Smith, his eldest son.

- Smith, a.k.a. DJ Young Slade, died from drowning in February at the age of 27.

- "Love your people hard. You never know when it's the last hug," the rapper wrote on Instagram.

Lil Jon is paying loving tribute to his son Nathan Smith, who died in February at the age of 27.

The Grammy-winning rapper and producer shared a video cutting together highlights of his final father-son trip with Smith, who performed under the moniker DJ Young Slade, to his Instagram on Friday.

"Two years ago, I asked Slade what he wanted to do for his birthday. He said, “go to Japan," the musician born Jonathan H. Smith wrote in the caption. "I had no idea that trip would become our final father-and-son trip... or his favorite one ever."

The video featured glimpses of a smiling Nathan posing in front of various figurines at Small Worlds Tokyo, a renowned museum of miniatures in the capital city.

"I gave him options for everything, and he chose it all himself," Lil Jon noted. "We did everything—from museums and food tours to Michelin-star sushi spots. We even watched samurai swords being forged… and got to use them."

Nathan was a "big anime fan," the musician explained, "so we took an anime drawing class together with an anime book author. And he even got to learn how to drift and drive on the streets where the drift culture began."

He continued: "This is just a glimpse into that trip. It was expensive, but I didn't care—I saw how happy it made him. He told me it was the most fun he'd ever had on any trip. It hits different now, knowing we won’t get to make memories like that again. To anyone reading this—don’t put your family off. Don't say 'I'll see them later' or 'We can do that later.' Don’t skip the long hugs don't be frugal... Love your people hard. You never know when it's the last hug."

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Lil Jon's famous friends, fans, and collaborators crowded the comment section to show the "Snap Yo Fingers" hitmaker their support.

"You didn't waste a moment. That's a great trip you both had. Shows how much thought went into this from both sides," Christina Milian wrote. Lil Scrappy, who collaborated with Lil Jon on the 2004 single "What U Gon' Do," referred to his late son as "Young King Slade."

Lil Jon and his son, Nathan Smith.

Lil Jon/Instagram

Weeks after Nathan was discovered dead, his cause of death was officially revealed as "drowning in the setting of psilocybin use," according to the autopsy report from the Fulton County Medical Examiner in Atlanta obtained by EW.

Following his sudden death, Lil Jon remembered his son as "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."

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