Lil Jon and Nicole Smith at the Pencils Of Promise 2019 Gala on November 04, 2019 in New York City.Photo:Steven Ferdman/Getty
Steven Ferdman/Getty
Lil Jonand his wife Nicole Smith have gone their separate ways.
The rapper, who was born Jonathan Smith,revealed his split with Smithwhile speaking toXXLabout his upcoming mediation album,Total Meditation, in February 2024.
A rep for the “Act of Fool” artist told PEOPLE, “Nearly two years ago, Lil Jon and his wife Nicole decided to separate. This is an amicable split, and while Lil Jon is a public figure, his family matters will remain private at this time.”
The former couple share one son, Nathan, who was born in 1998. They wed six years later and largely kept their decades-long relationship out of the spotlight.
From their wedding day to how their split inspired Lil Jon’s new meditation album, here’s everything to know about the rapper’s estranged wife.
They wed in 2004
Lil Jon, Nicole Smith, and Nathan Smith at the All-Star Celebrity Apprentice Finale on May 19, 2013.WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy
WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy
After being together for several years, Lil Jon and Nicole got married in November 2004.
She shares one child with Lil Jon
Lil Jon, Nicole Smith and Nathan Smith attends the Pencils Of Promise 2019 Gala on November 04, 2019 in New York City.Steven Ferdman/Getty
Smith and the “Get Low"singer share one son, Nathan. Nathan was born on April 30, 1998, and has followed in his father’s footsteps in the music industry.
While speaking toHuffPostin 2014, Lil Jon described his teenage son as “well-mannered and well-behaved,” adding, “He’s a really, really good kid.”
The rapper also described how he and Smith took different approaches to parenting, particularly when it came to disciplining Nathan.
“I listen to my son … he can talk to me about anything,” he explained, then joked, “His mother is crazier than me so he definitely don’t wanna get his mom pissed off.”
Their son is also a DJ
Nathan Smith aka DJ Young Slade performs onstage during 97.1 AMP RADIO’s Amplify 2014 concert on March 22, 2014 in Hollywood, California.Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
In an interview withThe Big Podcastin 2023, the “Snap Yo Fingers"artist shared his son’s journey to DJing.
“He started DJing at 11 years old,” Lil Jon said. “I put him in Scratch DJ Academy. He graduated at like 12 years old. He was the smallest thing in there in the graduation. Throughout his teenage years, he started DJing in clubs around L.A., and then he also started making music.”
Lil Jon went on to share how his son learned the ins and outs of production from his time at New York University and during his studio sessions with his dad.
“It’s literally in your kid’s genes to do what you do,” he continued. “It is in their genes. It is in their DNA. We pass everything we get and we learn down to our children. So he was destined to be in the music business and do music.”
She and Lil Jon lived with their family in a tiny house
Lil Jon and Nicole Smith on ‘Tiny House Nation’.FYI Network
FYI Network
On a 2017 episode ofTiny House Nation,Smith and theCelebrity Apprenticealum tested out what it would be like to live in miniature living quarters. Despite the challenges of trying to create music in a cramped space, the family was able to adjust to their new conditions.
“When he is doing music, he needs it loud. He needs to feel like he is in the club, so, yeah, that would drive a guest crazy,” Smith said.
However, after a bit, they were able to settle on a compromise and agreed that when guests came to visit, the music would be turned down.
“Teamwork makes the dream work,” she added.
She joined Lil Jon at charitable events
Lil Jon attends Pencils Of Promise 2019 Gala: An Evolution Within on November 04, 2019 in New York City.Slaven Vlasic/Getty
Slaven Vlasic/Getty
During a 2023 interview withCNN’s Sara Sidner, Lil Jon spoke about an organization close to his heart, Pencils of Promise.
Lil Jon continued, “That night I decided I wanted to build two schools in Ghana.”
Smith supported the rapper’s charitable endeavors and attended an event for the organization in New York City in 2019.
Their split inspired Lil Jon to make a meditation album
While Lil Jon is known for his party jams, the rapper is releasing a 10-track meditation album titledTotal Meditationon Feb. 16, 2024.
“I’ve always kind of meditated a little bit,” Lil Jon told the publication. “But when I turned 50, started going through a lot of things. Started going through a divorce, I’m separated now, and all the emotions from the divorce and all that process was really getting to me. So, I found I had to start to go within to calm myself.”
A rep for the artist told PEOPLE that Lil Jon and Smith’s split occurred nearly two years prior and it was “amicable.”
source: people.com
