Eminem’s mother Debbie Nelson has died aged 69

Updated: December 3, 2024, 5:06 p.m. EST

Legendary rapper Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, has died, according to multiple sources. She was 69 years old. TMZ was the first to report her death. NBC News and People also confirmed this with representatives for Eminem. Nelson reportedly died of complications from lung cancer. Her diagnosis was first made public in September. The relationship between Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, and Nelson has been extremely controversial. Mathers often accused Nelson of being a neglectful mother during his childhood in Detroit, Michigan. He blamed her substance abuse and mental health issues for the trauma he suffered. Mathers particularly expressed her bad blood in songs like “My Name Is,” “Kim,” and “Cleaning Out My Closet.” In 1999, Nelson sued her son for defamation, seeking $11 million in damages. The judge ruled in her favor, but she was only awarded $1,600. In the years that followed, the two apparently took steps towards reconciliation. Mathers even apologized to his mother in his 2013 song “Headlights.” In 2022, after Mathers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Nelson publicly congratulated her son on the prestigious award. “Marshall, I want to say, I couldn’t let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame,” she said in a social media video. “I love you very much. I knew you could do it. It’s been a long road.”