American rapper Lil Jon converts to Islam

By Mucahit Oktay

NEW YORK (AA) - American rapper and producer Lil Jon embraced Islam at a mosque in California.

Jon on Friday visited the King Fahad Mosque in Los Angeles and publicly announced his conversion to Islam in front of a large congregation.

A video shared on social media showed the American rapper reciting the shahada in Arabic and then in English, under the guidance of the mosque's imam.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1972, and known by his real name Jonathan H. Smith, the rapper gained fame for his pioneering role in promoting the hip-hop subgenre in the early 2000s.

With over 1 million followers on social media, Lil Jon's recent meditation album has received significant attention.

Following American writer and activist Shaun King, Lil Jon became the second known famous American to embrace Islam in the first week of Ramadan.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul