Debbie Nelson, mother of renowned U.S. rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer.
A representative for Eminem confirmed Nelson’s death on Tuesday, stating she passed away peacefully on Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, has yet to publicly comment on his mother’s passing.
Nelson gained public attention through her tumultuous relationship with Eminem, which the rapper frequently detailed in his lyrics. Songs like “My Name Is,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” and “Headlights” spotlighted their struggles, ranging from accusations of drug abuse to accounts of an unstable upbringing.
In 1999, Nelson filed a $10 million lawsuit against Eminem, alleging defamation and emotional distress due to his comments in interviews and lyrics. The case was eventually settled out of court, a development Eminem referenced in his hit track “Without Me.”
Despite their differences, Nelson insisted that Eminem still loved her, expressing this sentiment in her 2008 memoir, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” where she aimed to “set the record straight” on their relationship and the challenges of raising her son.
“In my heart, I know Marshall still loves me. He’s just confused,” Nelson wrote, reflecting on their fractured bond.
Born in 1955 on a U.S. air force base in Kansas, Nelson married Bruce Mathers in 1970 at the age of 15. She gave birth to Eminem in 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri, but later divorced Bruce in 1974, citing physical abuse.
Nelson relocated multiple times during her life, living briefly in Metro Detroit before returning to St. Joseph, where she spent her final years.
