Lil Jon’s son, Nathan Murray Smith—known professionally as DJ Young Slade—was buried on Feb. 20, 2026, which Lil Jon described as the first day of Ramadan. The artist confirmed his son’s death earlier in February after Nathan was reported missing in Georgia and a body was recovered from a local pond. Fulton County police have said there was no indication of foul play, while the Fulton County Medical Examiner has left the cause and manner of death undetermined pending further examination. Lil Jon used social media to ask for prayers for his family and to thank supporters who reached out after the loss.
Key Takeaways
- Funeral date: Nathan Murray Smith (DJ Young Slade) was laid to rest on Feb. 20, 2026—the first day of Ramadan noted by his father.
- Initial announcement: Lil Jon publicly confirmed his son’s death at the beginning of February 2026 after Nathan had been reported missing in Georgia.
- Recovery: Searchers recovered a body from a pond in the area where Nathan was last seen; local police reported no signs of foul play.
- Medical review: The Fulton County Medical Examiner has not yet determined cause or manner of death and is still completing examinations.
- Public response: Lil Jon posted a tribute requesting du’a (prayers) and thanked fans and friends for condolences and support.
- Full name: The deceased is identified as Nathan Murray Smith, who performed as DJ Young Slade.
- Timing of reporting: Article publication and updates were logged on Feb. 21, 2026 (initial post at 9:05 AM PST; updated at 10:22 AM PST).
Background
Nathan Murray Smith, who performed under the stage name DJ Young Slade, was the only son of rapper and producer Lil Jon. The family announced his disappearance and then later his death in early February 2026, drawing attention from national media and local authorities in Fulton County, Georgia. Missing-person incidents that end in a recovered body typically trigger coordinated responses from local police, search teams and a county medical examiner to confirm identity and cause.
Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and surrounding suburbs, handles investigations and postmortem examinations through its local law-enforcement and medical-examiner offices. In cases where there is no apparent criminal activity, officials still follow standard procedures—collection of forensic evidence, toxicology testing and timeline reconstruction—before releasing a definitive cause and manner of death. Public figures’ family tragedies often prompt large social-media reactions and calls for privacy while investigators complete formal steps.
Main Event
Lil Jon confirmed the family’s bereavement at the start of February 2026 and later shared a public tribute after his son’s burial on Feb. 20. According to local reporting, Nathan had been reported missing days before the discovery; search teams located a body in a nearby pond, which investigators then recovered and submitted for examination. Fulton County police publicly stated there were no immediate signs of foul play at the scene, a standard preliminary description meant to indicate no obvious evidence of homicide.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner has publicly noted that the cause and manner of death remain undetermined as of the report’s publication on Feb. 21, 2026. That status typically reflects that further laboratory tests—such as toxicology—or additional investigative steps are required before a final determination is released. Lil Jon used Instagram to post a video tribute and asked followers to offer du’a for his son and family during Ramadan, thanking well-wishers for condolences and promising to honor his son’s artistic legacy.
The family’s statement described Nathan as caring and warmhearted, and Lil Jon said he would ensure his son’s talent is remembered. Local authorities continue to treat the matter as an open investigative and medico-legal process until the Medical Examiner issues a final report. At this stage, investigators and the family have not disclosed additional details about the precise circumstances leading to Nathan’s death.
Analysis & Implications
The burial timing—on the first day of Ramadan—carries religious and cultural significance that shaped the family’s public messaging and requests for prayer. Public figures often arrange funerals to coincide with meaningful dates; in this case, Lil Jon framed the burial within the observance, emphasizing spiritual appeals and community support. That choice also influenced the tone of public statements, which emphasized faith and remembrance over procedural details.
The Medical Examiner’s designation of an undetermined cause or manner does not imply criminality, but it does mean the public will likely face an interval of uncertainty until toxicology and other tests are completed. Such unresolved findings can prolong media attention and family distress; they also limit law enforcement’s ability to comment further. For the family and community, closure typically depends on the timely release of forensic results and any related investigative updates.
From a reputational and industry perspective, Lil Jon’s vow to preserve his son’s artistic legacy could lead to tributes, posthumous releases or managed retrospectives—common outcomes when musicians pass unexpectedly. Those projects intersect with estate, copyright and rights-of-publicity considerations and often involve estate representatives, labels, and collaborators. The broader music community’s response—tributes, benefit events or statements—can shape public memory and fundraising efforts for the family.
Comparison & Data
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Early February 2026 | Family announced Nathan was missing; Lil Jon confirmed son’s death publicly at the start of the month |
| Days after disappearance (early Feb 2026) | Searchers recovered a body from a pond in the Georgia area where Nathan was last seen |
| Feb. 20, 2026 | Burial held, described by Lil Jon as the first day of Ramadan |
| Feb. 21, 2026 | Media reports published and Fulton County Medical Examiner listed cause/manner as undetermined |
The table above outlines the publicly reported sequence from disappearance to burial and the Medical Examiner’s status as published on Feb. 21, 2026. This timeline is based on family statements and local reporting; specific timestamps for each step (search, recovery, identification, autopsy milestones) have not been fully disclosed by officials. Understanding typical post-recovery timelines helps set expectations: toxicology can take several weeks, and supplemental investigative leads may extend the timeline before a final public report.
Reactions & Quotes
“We laid my only son to rest,” Lil Jon wrote, asking for additional prayer for his family during Ramadan.
Lil Jon (social media)
“I love you, son. Life will never be the same without you,” the artist added in a follow-up message thanking supporters.
Lil Jon (social media)
“There was no indication of foul play,” a Fulton County law-enforcement statement said about the scene where a body was recovered.
Fulton County Police (official statement)
“The cause and manner of death are currently undetermined,” the Fulton County Medical Examiner reported while examinations continue.
Fulton County Medical Examiner (official)
Unconfirmed
- Specific cause of Nathan Murray Smith’s death remains unconfirmed pending completion of the Medical Examiner’s testing and final report.
- Details about the exact timeline and circumstances between the reported disappearance and the body’s recovery have not been fully disclosed by investigators.
- There is no publicly available confirmation of whether an autopsy report or toxicology results have been finalized or their expected release date.
Bottom Line
The family of Nathan Murray Smith, known as DJ Young Slade, publicly mourned his burial on Feb. 20, 2026, and requested prayers and privacy as investigations and medical examinations continue. Fulton County officials have said there were no signs of foul play at the recovery site, but the Medical Examiner has not yet released a cause or manner of death—leaving critical questions unanswered for now.
Observers should expect follow-up reports from the Fulton County Medical Examiner and law enforcement as toxicology and other analyses conclude. Until officials release those findings, public coverage will largely focus on family tributes, community reactions and the procedural updates that provide closure and factual clarity.