Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, passed away at the age of 69 after a battle with lung cancer. TMZ first broke the news yesterday, reporting that Nelson died on Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri.
According to The Detroit News, the conflict between Eminem and his mother peaked in 1999, when Nelson filed an $11 million lawsuit against her son for defamation of character, later settled in 2001 for $25,000— $1,600 of which went to Nelson herself. Despite the legal battles and harsh lyrics in songs like "Cleanin' Out My Closet," Eminem has shown a softer side towards his mother in recent years. In his 2013 song "Headlights," he expresses regret over past lyrics and affirms, "I don't hate you, 'cause ma you're still beautiful to me, 'cause you're my mom."
Their relationship, although famously fraught, had shown signs of mending. It was evidenced by a congratulatory video that Nelson sent her son following his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. "Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame," Nelson said, according to WWJ Newsradio. "I love you very much. I knew you'd get there. It's been a long ride. I'm very, very proud of you."
In the wake of Nelson's death, the details of her memoir "My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the Record Straight on my Life as Eminem's Mother" resurface, revealing a personal narrative that sought to give her perspective on their shared history.
