Eminem’s estranged mother, Debbie Nelson, has died at the age of 69 after being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. The rapper’s half-brother, Nate Kane Mathers, has since hit out on social media
Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, has died aged 69 after a fight with advanced lung cancer, passing away in St. Joseph, Missouri two nights ago.
Her diagnosis became public knowledge last September. Despite Eminem, the 52-year-old hip hop icon, financially supporting his mother, he has not been in touch with her or other family members back in Missouri for years.
The star’s half-brother, Nathan ‘Nate’ Kane Mathers, vented on Instagram stating that he felt “hatred and mixed emotions today” about the death of their mother, while Eminem himself has remained silent on the matter.
Eminem and Nate have had their ups and downs but still share a connection. Eminem adopted Nate, who went into foster care at 8, when Nate turned 16, reports the Mirror
Eminem’s mom has died at 69 (
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Getty Images)
Eminem reportedly did not visit his mom after her terminal diagnosis (
Image:
Getty Images)
In his lyrics, Eminem has often depicted their tough early life together, as well as his strained relationship with their mother. Known for using his turbulent family ties as source material, Eminem’s disdain for his mother was famously chronicled in his 2002 hit Cleanin’ Out My Closet.
In 2005, Debbie Mathers, Eminem’s mother, won a defamation lawsuit against her son over lyrics implying she was a drug user, pocketing $25,000. She later penned a memoir, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” in 2008.
Fast forward to 2018, and Eminem’s tune “Headlights” painted a picture of his tough childhood while extending an olive branch to his estranged mother, acknowledging their broken relationship and his brother Nate’s time in foster care. In the heartfelt track, Eminem confesses: “I was the man of the house, the oldest, so my shoulders carried the weight of the load, then Nate got taken away by the state at eight years old. And that’s when I realized you were sick and it wasn’t fixable or changeable, and to this day we remain estranged, and I hate it though.”
The song begins with a poignant “Mum, I know I let you down,” and concludes on a note of hope, “Maybe we took this too far, I want a new life.”
Debbie became Eminem’s mom at the tender age of 18 back in 1972.
Her passing is announced not long after Eminem shared in the music video for “Temporary” that his daughter Hailie is pregnant with her first child. The video, which is essentially a letter to Hailie in case of his demise, features touching moments including Eminem receiving a “Grandpa 1” Detroit Lions jersey and an ultrasound image.
It also showcases home videos of Hailie, now 28, and a snippet from her wedding where Eminem embraces her spouse.
In the final moments of the video, Eminem is spotted sitting on the porch steps as a radiant Hailie emerges holding a jersey. She takes a seat next to him and watches as he reads it and examines the ultrasound.
The Just Lose It rapper, taken aback, holds up the ultrasound for the camera, his jaw dropping in surprise. Besides Hailie, Eminem has two other daughters, Alaina Scott and Stevie Laine Scott, both shared with his ex-wife Kim Scott.
