Eminem’s Mother, Debbie Nelson, Passes Away at 69 | Entertainment & Arts News
Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69.
Eminem’s representative, Dennis Dennehy, confirmed her death on Tuesday.
The exact cause of death has not been determined, but Ms. Nelson had been fighting lung cancer.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, frequently addressed the troubled dynamic he had with his mother in his songs.
In two of his greatest hits, “My Name Is” and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” he accuses Ms. Nelson of substance abuse and neglect.
Eminem referenced his mother in several songs during the early part of his career. Pic: AP
In his 2002 hit “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” he raps: “Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen.” He also claims that she was “trying to take what you didn’t help me get.”
Later that same year, Kim Basinger portrayed a fictionalized version of his mother, who struggles with alcoholism, in the semi-autobiographical film “8 Mile,” in which Eminem also stars.
Ms. Nelson filed two defamation lawsuits regarding Eminem’s comments about her in magazines and on radio shows.
However, in her 2008 memoir “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” she sought to clarify the narrative.
The blurb for the book asserts that she was a “single mother who wished the best for her son, only to find herself defamed and ostracized when he achieved success,” according to NBC, Sky News’ US partner network.
She also recounted anecdotes from Eminem’s childhood, stating that he had forgotten the fond memories they shared.
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Over the years, their relationship remained tense, but Eminem offered an apology to Ms. Nelson in his 2013 track “Headlights.”
“Cause to this day we remain estranged, and I hate it though,” he raps, adding, “Cause you ain’t even get to witness your grandbabies grow. But I’m sorry, momma, for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet.’ At the time I was angry, rightfully? Maybe so. Never meant that far to take it, though.”
In 2022, Ms. Nelson also publicly congratulated her son when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, expressing in a video shared at the time: “I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you.”
