Lil Jon Opens Up About Heartbreaking Final Conversation With Late Son Nathan
Rapper and record producer Lil Jon has opened up about the deeply emotional final conversations he shared with his late son, Nathan Smith, before the 27-year-old’s tragic death earlier this year. The heartbreaking exchange is detailed in the artist’s new memoir, “I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me,” which hit bookshelves on Tuesday.
In the book, the Grammy-winning musician recalls urging his son to prioritize his well-being during what would be their final phone call. The artist, known for hits like “Get Low,” admitted to pressing his son affectionately during the conversation. “I was always encouraging him to take care of himself. On the call, I leaned into him a bit. ‘I’m on you because I love you,’ I said. ‘I care about you. I want you to get better,’” the rapper writes.
Smith, who performed professionally under the moniker DJ Young Slade, responded by asking his father for patience as he navigated personal difficulties. “I’m getting there,” Smith replied, according to the memoir. “I’ve been going through a lot. I’m working through it. Give me some credit.”
While the father and son ended the discussion on a positive note, the rapper admitted he felt a lingering sense of unease, suspecting that his son might have felt overwhelmed by the tough love. It turned out Smith shared a similar sentiment. Later that night, at 12:48 a.m. Saturday morning, Smith reached out via text message. “Love you dad, got so much love for you. I’m gonna try communicating better and stop letting fear hold me back,” he wrote.
Lil Jon responded with reassurance, emphasizing his deep concern and admiration for his only child. “I do care a lot. You are my only son, and I worry about you a lot. You are so talented and extremely smart. Nothing should be holding you back. I pray for the days you have no more discomfort and no more fear. Those days are coming. Love you,” he texted back.
Seeking to reinforce his support, the artist called his son once more. Leading up to his passing, Smith had reportedly been dealing with intense and unexplained physical pain driven by stress, trauma, and anxiety. “I see that you’re trying, and I want you to know that you are seen,” the rapper recalled telling him. “All the effort you’ve been putting in — I see it. And I see you. Little did I know that was the last time I would talk to him.”
Smith was reported missing and tragically found dead near his home in Georgia on Feb. 6. He was 27 years old. Following the devastating discovery, Lil Jon shared a statement expressing his immense grief alongside Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith. “I am extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith. His mother and I are devastated,” the statement read. “Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate and warmhearted — he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest.”
A subsequent investigation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner revealed that Smith’s cause of death was accidental drowning in the setting of psilocybin use, noting the presence of the primary active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms in his system.
Two weeks after his passing, Smith, a New York University graduate, was laid to rest. “On the first day of Ramadan yesterday, We laid my only son to rest,” the rapper shared on Instagram alongside a touching photo montage celebrating his son’s life. “I love you, son. Life will never be the same without you. Allah, give me strength.”
