Lil Jon's Son, DJ Young Slade, Is Missing in Georgia – Details

Something about the alert didn't sit right. At first, it sounded routine, but as more details came to light, the situation became increasingly unsettling. By the time authorities shared what really happened, concern had already escalated.

The Milton Police Department issued a missing person bulletin late Tuesday night, February 3, 2026, for Nathan Smith, who vanished from a residential neighborhood in Milton, Georgia.

Nathan is known professionally as DJ Young Slade. And he comes from a very famous family. Nathan is the son of hip-hop star, Jonathan H. Smith, popularly known as Lil Jon, a revelation that quickly drew national attention to the case.

What Police Say Happened

According to police, Nathan was last seen around 6 a.m. Tuesday near Baldwin Drive and Mayfield Road.

That's when the circumstances began to raise alarms. Police say Nathan ran out of his house and left on foot, without taking a phone with him.

Even more troubling, authorities warned that he "may be disoriented and in need of assistance," prompting fears that he could be in danger. Family and friends, police added, are highly concerned for his safety.

Search Effort and More Disturbing Context Emerges

According to journalist and television news reporter Cody Alcorn, officers conducted searches in the surrounding area, including near a lake close to where Nathan was last seen.

Additional reporting added to the concern surrounding Nathan's disappearance. Cody also reported that Nathan left his home without clothing, on foot, and with no phone, reinforcing police concerns that he may be disoriented and vulnerable.

While authorities have not disputed Cody's information, they have asked anyone with information to contact Milton's non-emergency dispatch line immediately. As hours passed with no sign of him, the urgency intensified.

The Family's Message

Shortly after the news broke, a representative for the "Turn Down for What" singer spoke out publicly.

In a statement to TMZ, Lil Jon's representative asked for compassion during an incredibly difficult time, "The family is asking for privacy at this time. We are also asking for continued prayers for Nathan to come home safe. Thank you."

The family has not shared additional details beyond that request.

Who DJ Young Slade Is

Outside this frightening situation, Nathan has built a life in music, following a path similar to his father's, but mainly out of the spotlight.

In a 2024 interview with OK! Magazine, Lil Jon said his son works as an engineer and artist, noting that Nathan began as a DJ before expanding into other areas of the music business.

"He's 26 now, and he's in the music business. He's an engineer and an artist. He started off as a DJ, and he knows it's one of those songs you have to play. We haven't talked about how he feels about it, but I'm sure he likes it," Lil Jon said.

The artist also described his son as having a natural musical ear from a young age:

"It's cool he's in the same business as me. I didn't know what he was going to be when he was younger. I wasn't trying to influence him to be in music. He had a natural musical ear. I remember he was 11 years old and we were in the car and the DJ was mixing on the radio and he could tell what song was coming in before it came on."

A Shared Creative Path

Lil Jon told OK! that Nathan studied music at NYU's Tischprogram, where he learned various aspects of the industry and began producing his own work.

The proud father said that he got his son "a scholarship at Scratch DJ Academy, and he learned how to be a DJ. He fell in love with music, so he ended up going to NYU and was in the Tisch program."

"He learned every aspect of the music business and started producing in high school. When he got to college, he kind of released his own songs. He's gotten more into producing his own music and other people's music," he added.

The two have collaborated on several projects over the years, with Nathan often working behind the scenes as an engineer. Lil Jon has said they've been working together "for a while," describing the experience as meaningful for both of them:

"We've actually produced a bunch of songs together, so that's cool. When he was going to college, he would come home and be my engineer. We've been working together for a while, so that's really, cool. It was amazing to work with him on that album and to see the evolution of his father be on this journey of mental well-being," the Georgia native said.

Creating Music During a Period of Healing

Nathan also worked with his father on the meditation album "Total Meditation," released on February 16, 2024, following Lil Jon's split from Nicole Smith earlier that month:

"We put out two albums — the first one was "Total Meditation" and the second was "Manifest Abundance: Affirmations for Personal Growth." They are two different styles. The first album was guided meditation, and the second one was manifestations and affirmations. Everybody needs to say affirmations every day — that is what got me through some tough times."

The performer said the second album "meant a lot" to him, as he was focused on maintaining a positive "mental state" during that period.

"I was really happy to share those things with people, and even on the first album, a lot of people would send me messages and say, 'I never meditated before. I never thought about meditating before, but I did it because of you.' This helped me get through my grief and relax more," he stated.

"It makes me feel good that I'm putting something out into the world that's helping people," the artist concluded.

For now, the music has gone quiet. As police continue their search, loved ones are left holding onto hope, and to the version of Nathan they know: a creative force, a collaborator, a son deeply woven into his family's life. The contrast between that world and the circumstances of his disappearance is what makes this case so unsettling.

As of now, Nathan has not been located. Authorities continue to urge anyone with information to come forward, while his family waits, prays, and hopes for one thing above all else, his safe return home.