Lil Jon Shares Final Memories With Son and a Message About Family
For Lil Jon, a birthday trip to Japan became something much more than a vacation. It is now a lasting memory of time spent with his son, Nathan Smith, and…
For Lil Jon, a birthday trip to Japan became something much more than a vacation. It is now a lasting memory of time spent with his son, Nathan Smith, and a reminder of how quickly life can change.
A Meaningful Final Trip
The rapper shared video footage of the pair's final vacation to Japan on Instagram on Friday, May 1. Alongside clips of the father-son duo trying dishes and exploring the country together, he shared details about the trip, which was planned as a birthday celebration for Nathan, a DJ and musician who performed under the name DJ Young Slade or Slade.
“Two years ago, I asked Slade what he wanted to do for his birthday,” Lil Jon wrote. His son chose Japan. “I had no idea that trip would become our final father-and-son trip… or his favorite one ever,” the rapper said.
Nathan organized the itinerary himself. Lil Jon said their time included visiting museums, enjoying sushi, driving, and even using samurai swords. They also took a drawing class with an anime book author because Nathan “was a big anime fan.”
“This is just a glimpse into that trip,” Lil Jon wrote. “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.”
A Message About Time
Looking back on the experience now, Lil Jon said the memories feel different.
“It hits different now, knowing we won't get to make memories like that again,” he shared.
He followed that reflection with a message to others about prioritizing time with family.
“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. Make long-lasting memories when you can,” he wrote in the caption. “We all think we have time… but we don't know Allah's plan.”
“Love your people hard. You never know when it's the last hug,” he concluded the post. “Love you, son. Dad.”
Remembering Nathan Smith
Nathan's body was discovered in a pond near the family home on Feb. 6, three days after he was reported missing under what police described as “unusual circumstances" from his residence in Milton, Ga.
His cause of death was later determined to be "drowning in the setting of psilocybin use" and the manner of death to be an accident.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE following his son's death, Lil Jon said, "I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother and I are devastated.”
Lil Jon, born Jonathan Smith, shared Nathan with ex-wife Nicole Smith, whom he married in 2004. He announced in February 2024 that they had split amicably two years earlier.
"Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet,” the musician said in the statement. “He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate and warmhearted — he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest. He was an amazingly talented young man; a music producer, an artist and engineer, and a graduate of NYU."
"We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him," the statement continued. "He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together we're comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him."
