[REVISION HISTORY]

Legacy of Nathan Smith following death

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-21 19:54 UTC → 2026-10-22 18:25 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the death of Nathan Smith, known professionally as DJ Young Slade, rapper Lil Jon has shared details regarding his son’s passing and legacy. Smith, a 27-year-old producer and engineer, was reported missing in Milton, Georgia, in February 2026; his body was later recovered from a pond, and the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death an accident. Recent reports indicate the accidental drowning occurred in the context of psilocybin use. In his memoir, ‘I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me’, released on October 20, Lil Jon reveals the final text messages and phone calls exchanged with his son. ~~These communications highlight Nathan’s struggles with anxiety, emotional and physical pain, and~~ During their last telephone conversation, Lil Jon encouraged Nathan to prioritize his wellbeing, stating, ‘I’m on you because I love you. I care about you. I want you to get better.’ Nathan reportedly responded by noting his efforts to navigate personal challenges, saying, ‘I’m getting there. I’ve been going through a lot. I’m working through it.’ Following that call, Nathan sent a message in the early hours of a Saturday expressing love and a desire to overcome fear and communicate ~~better.~~ more effectively. Lil Jon noted that while the exchange ended on good terms, he felt as though something remained unsettled. The ~~book~~ memoir also touches upon Nathan’s studies at New York University’s Tisch program and ~~the complexities of grief following the loss. Beyond the loss of his son, the memoir~~ contains significant personal revelations regarding Lil Jon’s own family ~~history. He discloses~~ history, including the discovery that his biological father was not the man who raised him, Willie, was not his biological father, a fact discovered through a cousin’s DNA test. Lil Jon noted the difficulty of processing this revelation since both of his parents have passed away, preventing him from seeking direct answers. him. Additionally, Lil Jon has issued a social media appeal for a posthumous Grammy Award for Nathan, citing his technical contributions ~~as an engineer on~~ to projects such as ‘Total Meditation’ and ‘Manifest Abundance: Affirmations for Personal Growth’. ~~Lil Jon stated that his son’s ‘talent lives on in this music’.~~

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.