Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69 following a battle with lung cancer.
Debbie Nelson, the mother of acclaimed rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69 following a protracted struggle with lung cancer.
A representative for Eminem verified the information on Tuesday, indicating that Nelson passed away on Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, has not issued a public statement regarding his mother’s demise.
Debbie Nelson and Eminem’s Chaotic Relationship
Nelson emerged as a significant figure in popular culture through Eminem’s music, which often detailed their tumultuous relationship. Tracks like “My Name Is,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” and “Headlights” allude to their tumultuous background.
Notwithstanding the public nature of their dispute, Nelson asserted that her son’s comments were from a lack of comprehension. In her 2008 memoir, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” she stated:
“I am convinced that Marshall still harbors affection for me.” He is merely perplexed.
In 1999, Nelson initiated a lawsuit against Eminem for $10 million, claiming defamation and mental suffering due to his public remarks regarding her purported drug usage and abusive conduct.
The lawsuit was subsequently resolved out of court, an occurrence Eminem alluded to in his song “Without Me.”
Throughout the years, indications of reconciliation emerged, notably in “Headlights,” a 2014 song in which Eminem conveyed remorse for his negative depiction of his mother.
Debbie Nelson was born in 1955 at a U.S. Air Force base in Kansas. She married Bruce Mathers in 1970 at age 15, and two years later, she gave birth to Eminem in St. Joseph, Missouri. The couple split in 1974, with Nelson alleging physical violence.
After years in Metro Detroit, Nelson returned to St. Joseph, where she died.
