Lil Jon Says It's 'Hard To Process' Learning the Man Who Raised Him Wasn't His Biological Father

American rapper and producer Lil Jon has said he recently learnt that Willie, the man who raised him, was not his biological father. He discussed the discovery in an interview with People published on Monday, 19 October, as he prepares to release his memoir.

The revelation is among the personal experiences revisited in I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me, written with Paul Cantor. The book traces Lil Jon's upbringing and rise through Atlanta's music scene to international fame. Its US publication is scheduled for Tuesday, 20 October, while Simon & Schuster's UK website lists 19 November.

Born Jonathan Smith, the Grammy-winning artist said his understanding of his family changed after a cousin took a DNA test to explore their ancestry. When the cousin shared a map of the results, the relationships shown were not what Lil Jon had expected.

The interview did not establish whether Lil Jon subsequently underwent his own DNA test or describe additional genetic evidence. His account nonetheless left him confronting questions about his parentage that he had never previously considered.

Questions He Cannot Ask After Parents' Deaths

Lil Jon grew up with his mother, Carrie, and Willie, whom he had believed to be his biological father. People identified his brothers as Willie Junior and Chris, and named Mario and Sheena as adopted siblings.

His cousin, he recalled, reassured him that their relationship remained unchanged, regardless of what the DNA information suggested. But the discovery proved more difficult for Lil Jon to set aside, particularly because the people he might have questioned are no longer alive.

Willie died of bone marrow cancer during the early 2000s, as Lil Jon's music career was gathering momentum. The rapper said Willie had not lived to see the full extent of his success, although he believed the man who raised him would have been proud.

His mother, by contrast, witnessed his rise to prominence and shared in his achievements. Carrie died in 2013 after a stroke resulting from complications of diabetes, according to People.

Lil Jon also said the man he now identifies as his biological father has died. The deaths have left him unable to ask those directly involved about the circumstances of his birth. The interview did not establish what any of the parents knew at the time.

The revelation adds another personal dimension to a memoir that recounts his early interest in music. He learnt to play the drums at six and later became a defining figure in crunk, helping bring the Atlanta-associated hip-hop style to a wider audience.

Grief, Parenting and a Memoir Written After His Son's Death

Lil Jon's comments come in the same year that his son, Nathan Smith, died aged 27. Nathan, who performed as DJ Young Slade, had pursued a career in music and worked alongside his father in recording studios and on stage.

Nathan went missing in February and was found dead on 6 February in a pond near his home in Milton, Georgia. The Fulton County Medical Examiner recorded the cause of death as 'drowning in the setting of psilocybin use' and ruled the death accidental, CBS News Atlanta reported.

Lil Jon and his former wife, Nicole Smith, welcomed Nathan in 1998. In an earlier People interview, the musician recalled their studio sessions and said he valued the chance to work with his son. He subsequently added a chapter about Nathan to his memoir and dedicated the book to him.

He has also spoken about finding comfort in his young daughter, Nahara, whom he shares with partner Jamila Sozahdah. Reflecting on his losses, he urged people not to assume they could postpone spending meaningful time with their families.

Meanwhile, a brother and sister on his biological father's side have contacted him, Lil Jon told People. He has not yet been ready to speak with them, saying the discovery remains difficult to absorb.

'It's just hard to process. It takes time,' he said.