Lil Jon Reveals Family Secret and Final Talks With Son

Grammy-winning producer and rapper Lil Jon is sharing details of his family history and the death of his son, Nathan Smith, in his memoir, I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me, released October 20, 2026. The book recounts how the artist discovered that the man who raised him was not his biological father and reflects on the final conversations he had with Nathan before his death earlier in 2026.

In interviews with USA TODAY and PEOPLE, Jonathan Smith, known professionally as Lil Jon, described the emotional weight of confronting unanswered questions about his identity while grieving his son. Nathan, also known as DJ Young Slade, was 27 when he died after going missing in February. According to The Times of India, his death was ruled an accidental drowning in the setting of psilocybin use.

The memoir traces Lil Jon's journey from Atlanta's alternative music scene in the 1980s to international recognition as a producer, rapper, and DJ who worked with artists including Usher and Ciara. He said he hopes that sharing his personal experiences will help others facing grief and difficult circumstances.

In his interview with USA TODAY, Lil Jon explained why he decided to make private experiences public as he entered a new stage of his life.

"I have been a private type of artist my whole life. But now, as I'm older, I realized some things that I've been through. I can share to help some people … and show them that they can get through it," Lil Jon said.

He described his purpose as helping others through painful experiences and encouraging them to keep moving forward.

"To help and to heal and to uplift," Lil Jon said.

The family revelation began when a cousin took a DNA test to investigate their ancestry. After reviewing the results shared by his cousin, Lil Jon realized their genetic connection did not match his expectations about his family background, according to PEOPLE and The Times of India.

"He shared his map with me," Lil Jon said.

The unexpected results challenged his lifelong understanding of his family. He had grown up with his mother, Carrie, and Willie, whom he believed was his biological father, alongside brothers Willie Junior and Chris and adopted siblings Mario and Sheena.

"We weren't matching for some reason," Lil Jon said.

Willie supported Lil Jon during his childhood as he developed an interest in music, including learning to play the drums at age six. Willie died of bone marrow cancer in the early 2000s, during Lil Jon's rise to fame. His mother died in 2013 following a stroke linked to complications from diabetes.

"He didn't really see me become a star," Lil Jon said of Willie.

The musician also reflected on his mother's response to his success, remembering that she had been happy to see her firstborn achieve recognition.

"She was just so happy because I was the firstborn, so I was the baby," Lil Jon said.

The deaths of both parents mean Lil Jon cannot ask them to explain his biological origins. Although a brother and sister from his biological father's side have contacted him, he said he has not yet felt ready to begin those conversations.

"Neither one of my fathers are here anymore, nor my mother, so I can't get answers," Lil Jon said.

He acknowledged that accepting the limits of what he can learn about his family has been difficult.

"And that drives you crazy as well, until you get to the point where you have to accept that you will never get answers," Lil Jon said.

The musician said he was still processing the possibility of building relationships with relatives he had only recently learned about.

"I have had my brother and sister reach out on my biological dad's side, but I haven't been ready to process that yet and have that conversation, because it's just so heavy, man," Lil Jon said.

His memoir also documents his final exchanges with Nathan. Lil Jon wrote that his son had experienced debilitating pain that sometimes affected his ability to think or move. Despite medical tests and therapy, Nathan continued to struggle to find relief, and his father believed stress, trauma, and anxiety contributed to his physical symptoms.

In their final conversations, Nathan told his father he was working through his difficulties and asked for recognition of his efforts. Lil Jon later contacted him after speaking with his therapist, intending to acknowledge his son's progress and apologize for not expressing that recognition sooner.

"I see that you're trying, and I want you to know that you are seen. All the effort you've been putting in – I see it. And I see you," Lil Jon wrote.

The memoir recounts that Lil Jon was preparing to release the book when he received devastating news about Nathan. His son had gone missing from his home in Milton, Georgia, in early February, prompting a search by police and relatives. Nathan was later found dead in a pond near the home.

Beyond his grief over Nathan, Lil Jon is also the father of a young daughter, Nahara, whom he shares with his partner, Jamila Sozahdah. He has said that becoming a father strengthened his belief in the importance of family and spending time with loved ones.

"The No. 1 lesson I tell people now is, don't feel like you can put something off for tomorrow, because you don't know how much time you have with people," Lil Jon said.

"Fatherhood has taught me that family is everything," Lil Jon said.