Debbie Nelson, the mother of iconic American rapper Eminem, passed away at the age of 69 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. According to a statement from Eminem’s spokesperson, Nelson died Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Eminem has not yet commented publicly on his mother’s death.
Nelson became a prominent figure through Eminem’s lyrics, which often detailed their troubled relationship. The rapper explored their personal struggles in songs like “My Name Is,” “Headlights,” and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet.”
Their complicated history also drew attention in 1999 when Nelson filed a $10 million lawsuit against Eminem, accusing him of defamation and emotional distress. The lawsuit referenced numerous occasions where Eminem alleged she engaged in drug abuse and violent behavior during his childhood.
Despite the lawsuit, their relationship appeared to soften in later years. Eminem reflected on the resolution of their conflict in his music, including the song “Without Me.”
In 2008, Nelson released a memoir titled “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” where she recounted her perspective on their relationship, their shared struggles, and the challenges of raising Eminem. She maintained that despite their differences, her son still loved her. “In my heart, I know Marshall still loves me. He’s just confused,” she wrote.
Born in 1955 on a U.S. Air Force base in Kansas, Nelson married Bruce Mathers in 1970 at just 15 years old. Two years later, she gave birth to Eminem in St. Joseph, Missouri. The marriage ended in 1974, with Nelson citing physical abuse as the reason for their divorce.
After briefly living in Metro Detroit, Nelson eventually returned to St. Joseph, where she spent her final years. Her passing marks the close of a complex chapter in Eminem’s life, one that significantly influenced his music and public persona.
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