LIL JON SAYS MAN WHO RAISED HIM WAS NOT HIS BIOLOGICAL FATHER

American rapper and producer Lil Jon has said Willie, the man who raised him, was not his biological father. He said he learnt this after a cousin took a DNA test to investigate their ancestry. A map of the results showed family relationships Lil Jon had not expected. “You never think that will happen to you,” he said. Lil Jon discussed the discovery in an interview published on Monday, 19 October, ahead of the release of his memoir.

Born Jonathan Smith, Lil Jon grew up with his mother, Carrie, and Willie. His family includes brothers Willie Junior and Chris, and adopted siblings Mario and Sheena. Lil Jon said his cousin reassured him that their relationship had not changed, regardless of what the DNA information suggested. Willie died of bone marrow cancer in the early 2000s, as Lil Jon’s music career was gaining momentum. Carrie witnessed his rise to prominence and died in 2013 after a stroke linked to complications of diabetes.

Lil Jon said the man he now identifies as his biological father has also died. He said those deaths left him unable to ask the people involved about the circumstances of his birth. Lil Jon said he believed Willie would have been proud of his success. His memoir, *I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me*, was written with Paul Cantor and covers his upbringing and rise through Atlanta’s music scene. The book is scheduled for US publication on Tuesday, 20 October, while Simon & Schuster lists its UK publication for 19 November.