Lil Jon shares the final call he had with son. Then he reveals how it actually ended: ‘Little did I know that was the last time I would talk to him’

Lil Jon is opening up about the final conversations he shared with his son, Nathan Smith, in his new memoir titled I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me. This look into their relationship reveals the difficult circumstances Nathan faced before his death at 27.

Nathan dealt with intense physical pain that lacked a clear explanation. Lil Jon writes that he believed stress, trauma, and anxiety may have contributed to the struggles his son faced. It sounds like a heavy burden for anyone to carry, and it is understandable why a father would feel concerned.

During their final phone call, the two shared a moment of connection. The rapper recalled the exchange by writing, “He’d called to say, ‘I love you.’ I told him I loved him, too.” He also told Nathan, “I’m on you because I love you” and “I want you to get better.” Nathan responded by saying, “I’m getting there,” and he asked his father to “Give me some credit” while he worked through a difficult period.

Still, it was a cliffhanger feeling for the artist

Even though they finished the call on good terms, Lil Jon felt that things were not fully resolved. A text message followed at 12:48 a.m. Saturday, in which Nathan wrote, “Love you dad, got so much love for you.” Nathan also promised to communicate better and stop letting fear hold him back.

Lil Jon replied to that message by emphasizing that Nathan was his only son. He told him he worried because Nathan was “so talented and extremely smart.” The rapper then made another call to ensure his son felt supported. He recalled telling him, “I see that you’re trying, and I want you to know that you are seen.” He also made sure to mention that he recognized all the effort Nathan had made.

Lil Jon wrote, “Little did I know that was the last time I would talk to him.” It is a stark reminder of how quickly things can change. Nathan died in February 2026. Authorities found him near his Georgia home on February 6, three days after his family reported him missing. The circumstances surrounding his death were attributed to drowning while under the influence of mushrooms.

More were revealed in Lil Jon’s memoir

The memoir also reveals a major discovery Lil Jon made about his own family: the man who raised him, Willie, was not his biological father. He says he learned this after a cousin shared the results of a DNA test. By then, Willie, Lil Jon’s biological father, and his mother, Carrie, had all died, leaving him without the chance to ask them about it. Lil Jon has also said that relatives on his biological father’s side have reached out, but he is not yet ready to process those conversations.

His memoir offers a window into the reality of Lil Jon and his son’s relationship, highlighting the love and support that remained present even during the most challenging times. Seeing a parent describe their child with such care is moving, and it provides context to the loss the family experienced. Nathan’s struggle with physical and emotional pain is a difficult part of this story, but the focus on their final words shows the importance of the support they tried to maintain.

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