Legendary Bay Area rapper E-40 sends condolences to friend Lil Jon following death of his son at 27

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E-40 reached out with a supportive message to Lil Jon after hearing about the loss of his son.

The well-known Bay Area rapper, 58, offered his sympathy and support to Lil Jon following the passing of his son, Nathan Smith, who was 27 years old.

Just two days ago, Lil Jon, age 55, publicly shared the heartbreaking news that his son had been found deceased in a pond in Georgia, after being missing for several days.

E-40 called Lil Jon’s son, DJ Young Slade, his ‘nephew’ and expressed how much he’d miss him.

While at a Fanatics party in San Francisco, E-40 remembered the last time he met Lil Jon and his son, Nathan, and shared his condolences to the family during this challenging period.

I just found out that I shared a really fun experience with Lil Jon last year! We both got to be on Family Feud – and we brought our families along for the fun. It was such a blast, as reported by TMZ!

Oh my gosh, seeing them back together a few months ago was EVERYTHING! It reminded me of how they first became friends years and years ago – all because of ‘Snap Yo Fingers’! That song was huge back in the early 2000s, and it’s how they connected while working with Sean Paul from Youngbloodz. Seriously, that collaboration is legendary!

E-40 told Lil Jon he was available to help with anything he needed.

‘I love you, and you know that, brother. And we’re going to miss nephew.’ 

Nathan, 27, was declared dead on Friday afternoon after being reported missing from his home in Milton, Georgia.

Police found his body in a pond close to his home around 11:53 a.m. on Thursday, February 6, while they were searching the area.

An investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of the young musician’s death.

Lil Jon has two children: his son, Nathan, and a daughter named Nahara, who was born in 2024 to him and his girlfriend, Jamila Sozahdah.

Lil Jon and his now-estranged wife Nicole Smith welcomed their son Nathan together in 1998. 

Nathan was a DJ and music producer who, like his father, pursued a career in the music industry. He studied at NYU to hone his skills.

After confirming the sad news of his son’s passing, Lil Jon told USA Today that he and Nathan’s mother are deeply heartbroken and devastated.

The former couple requested privacy as they mourn. The rapper shared a heartfelt tribute to his son in a statement.

He described Nathan as one of the kindest people you could ever hope to know – incredibly caring, considerate, polite, and full of warmth and passion.

He cherished his family and friends and lived life to the fullest. A remarkably gifted young man, he was a music producer, artist, engineer, and a graduate of NYU.

‘We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him,’ the statement continued. 

We all loved and appreciated him, and we’re grateful we had the chance to tell him so before he passed. We want to thank everyone for their prayers and support during the search for him these past few days.

Lil Jon also wrote in an Instagram post he shared on Friday about his heartbreak. 

Sharing a collection of old photos with his son, he wrote a heartfelt caption: ‘This hurts so bad. I love you, son.’

Nathan’s most recent social media update was on Instagram on January 6th. He posted a picture of himself with his manager, Lil Will, and rapper Bow Wow while they were at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The Milton Police Department also shared a statement after divers located and retrieved his body. 

Police stated they’ve found no evidence of wrongdoing so far, but they are continuing to investigate the case thoroughly.

We won’t be sharing any more information until the Fulton County Medical Examiner officially determines how and why the death occurred, and investigators have fully explored all possible leads.

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2026-02-09 04:24