Rapper Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson (69) succumbs to lung cancer
Debbie Nelson, the mother of legendary rapper Eminem, has died after battling advanced lung cancer in St. Joseph, Missouri. She was 69. Her death was confirmed by a representative for the rapper to PEOPLE. The news comes after reports in September that Nelson was "terminally ill" and did not have much time left. Notably, Eminem's relationship with his mother has been notoriously turbulent and filled with drama.
Nelson's early life and relationship with Eminem
Nelson was born on a military base in Kansas in 1955 to parents Betty Hixson and Bob Nelson. She described her upbringing in a "large dysfunctional family" in her 2008 memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem. Her relationship with Eminem, born in 1972, was riddled with difficulties. In his early career, the rapper accused his mother of being abusive and neglectful in his 2002 hit song Cleanin' Out My Closet.
Nelson sued Eminem for defamation; later considered reconciliation
In 2002, after Eminem released Cleanin' Out My Closet, Nelson filed a $11 million defamation lawsuit against him. However, in 2008 she wanted to make amends with her son. "There's hope for everybody," she said in an interview with The Village Voice. "It's a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It's like a cashed check. It's over, it's done. You need to move on."
Eminem's song 'Headlights' was seen as an apology
In 2013, Eminem dropped a song called Headlights, which fans took as an apology and a way to mend his relationship with his mother. The lyrics expressed regret and love, with the rapper singing, "And I'm mad I didn't get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad." "So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet."
Nelson publicly congratulated Eminem on his Hall of Fame induction
In recent years, Nelson seemed to have embraced her son's success from afar. When Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, she congratulated him publicly. In a now-deleted video, she said, "Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame." May she rest in peace.
