Popukar American rapper, Mashal Mathers aka Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson whose difficult relationship with her son was reflected in much of his earlier music, has passed away at the age of 69.
The rapper’s representative, Dennis Dennehy, had confirmed his mother’s death to US reporters.
At the time of filing this report, the cause of death is yet to be confirmed but Nelson was known to be suffering from lung cancer.
While Eminem is yet to comment publicly on his mother’s death, the strained relationship with his mother was most starkly laid bare on one of his biggest hits, Cleanin’ Out My Closet.
In the 2002 song, Eminem had passionately accused her of drug abuse and neglect.
“Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen” he says, before later adding “keep telling yourself that you was a mom”.
In 1999, the late Nelson sued her son for defamation over another of his hits, “My Name Is”, but later on said it was her lawyer’s idea and settled out of court for $25,000 (£19,000).
The veteran rapper had also battled his own problems with prescription drugs, not unconnected to his own experiences of addiction with his mother’s, stating “that’s why I’m on what I’m on ’cause I’m my mom” on the 2009 track My Mom.
In 2008, Nelson seemingly reacted to her son’s claims in a memoir titled My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, in which she said she revealed she was “heartbroken” over her relationship with her son.
Fortunately for the two, the toxicity in their relationship appeared to simmer down over the years.
In his 2013 track Headlights, the rapper appeared remorseful for some of his earlier lyrics and when when Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Nelson publicly congratulated him, saying in a video that was later deleted;
“Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you,”
“I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you.”
