Lil Jon shares heartbreaking final conversation he had with son Nathan before his death aged 27
Lil Jon has revealed the final conversation he had with his son Nathan Smith, recalling how he urged him to look after himself shortly before his death at 27.
The rapper, whose real me is Jonathan Smith, shared the deeply personal exchange in his memoir, I Only Should So You Can Hear Me.
Per USA Today, he said the conversation ended with words of love and encouragement, but he was left feeling that something between them remained unresolved.
Nathan, who performed as DJ Young Slade, was found dead in Georgia on February 6, 2026, three days after he was reported missing. His death was later ruled an accident.
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What did Lil Jon say to his son Nathan in their final conversation?
In his memoir, Lil Jon recalled that Nathan had called him to express his love.
"I told him I loved him, too," the rapper wrote.
Their conversation then turned to Nathan's wellbeing. Lil Jon said he had been encouraging his son to take care of himself and wanted him to make progress through the difficulties he had been experiencing.
"I'm on you because I love you," he recalled telling Nathan. "I care about you. I want you to get better."
Nathan responded that he was making an effort to improve, while also asking his father to recognize what he had been dealing with.
"I'm getting there," Nathan said, according to the memoir. "I've been going through a lot. I'm working through it. Give me some credit."
Although Lil Jon believed they had ended the call on good terms, he wrote that he sensed there was still something left unsaid between them.
The rapper's account offers a glimpse into a private family conversation that took on a different significance after Nathan's death.
What did Lil Jon's last text messages to Nathan Smith say?
Nathan later sent his father a message at 12:48 a.m. on Saturday, expressing his love and promising to try to communicate more openly.
"Love you dad, got so much love for you. I'm gonna try communicating better and stop letting fear hold me back," Nathan wrote.
Lil Jon replied with a message reassuring his son of how much he cared about him, describing him as talented and extremely smart. He also expressed hope that Nathan would eventually be free of the discomfort and fear he had been experiencing.
The producer then called Nathan again to reinforce that support, recalling how he wanted his son to understand that his efforts had not gone unnoticed.
"I see that you're trying, and I want you to know that you are seen," Lil Jon recalled telling him. "All the effort you've been putting in - I see it. And I see you."
He did not realize that the conversation would be their last.
In the memoir, Lil Jon also described Nathan as experiencing intense physical pain that he believed was connected to stress, trauma and anxiety.
What was Nathan Smith's cause of death?
According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's findings, Nathan's cause of death was recorded as drowning in the setting of psilocybin use, with the manner of death classified as accidental. Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, was found in his system.
Following the discovery of his son's death, Lil Jon publicly expressed his devastation, saying he and Nathan's mother, Nicole Smith, were heartbroken by the loss.
He also remembered Nathan as a kind, caring and thoughtful person who deeply loved his family and friends. Nathan was just 27 years old when he died.
Topics: Mental Health, Music, Books
Thomas Bamford