Inside Eminem's Turbulent Relationship With Late Mom Debbie Nelson Before Her Death from Lung Cancer at 69 — From his Traumatic Childhood to Their Public Feud
Eminem had a tumultuous relationship with his mother, Debbie Nelson, for decades before the matriarch's death on December 2.
Jan. 3 2025, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Eminem Had a Traumatic Childhood
Eminem constantly rapped about his mother in the early years of his career.
Born on October 17, 1972, Eminem had a traumatic childhood while growing up between Michigan and Missouri. After his father, Bruce Mathers, left, his mother, Debbie Nelson, decided to finally settle in a Detroit neighborhood.
In her memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, the mom-of-two revealed she experienced seizures and lost consciousness due to blood poisoning while giving birth to Eminem.
"The labor pains began in earnest," the matriarch, who also went into a coma at the time, said. "I remember holding a nurse's hand and counting spots on the ceiling to take my mind off of the contractions."
She gave birth to her second son and Eminem's half-brother, Nathan Samra-Mathers, in 1986.
Eminem Detailed His Feud With His Mother in a 1999 Single
Eminem became the legal guardian of his half-brother, Nate Mathers.
As Eminem rose to prominence in the music industry, he dropped his 1999 track My Name Is, in which he rapped, "I just found out my mom does more dope than I do."
Debbie Nelson Filed a $10 Million Lawsuit
Nate Mathers also had a complicated relationship with Debbie Nelson.
In response, Debbie filed a $10 million lawsuit against Eminem, alleging defamation of character.
The rapper's lawyer, Paul Rosenberg, said in a statement: "It is merely the result of a lifelong strained relationship between him and his mother. Regardless, it is still painful to be sued by your mother, and therefore the lawsuit will only be dealt with through legal channels."
Debbie won, but she only received $25,000 from the case. She was only entitled to a $1,600 settlement after lawyer fees.
Eminem Released Another Song in 2002
Debbie Nelson congratulated Eminem on his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction two years before her death.
The lawsuit didn't stop Eminem from singing about his mom. In the 2002 track Cleanin' Out My Closet, he blasted his mom, singing: "Goin' through public housing systems, a victim of Münchausen's Syndrome / My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't."
Debbie Nelson Shared Her Side of the Story in Her Memoir
Debbie Nelson got married for the first time when she was 16.
In 2008, Debbie broke her silence in her tell-all memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem.
She wrote: "I wasn't happy when he made up a whole new life for himself — what mother wants to be known as a pill-popping alcoholic who lives on welfare? To tell the truth, I was heartbroken... I think he's forgotten the good times we had, and this book is my way of setting the record straight."
She also appeared in an interview with The Village Voice, saying she would not rule out reconciling with her son. According to Debbie, it was a matter of "just basically swallowing your pride" and that she would not ever "give up on my kids" and "on anybody" because "there's hope for everybody."
Eminem Shocked Everyone When He Apologized to His Mother
She almost died while giving birth to Eminem, her first child, in 1972.
In his song Headlights, Eminem apologized to Debbie for Cleanin' Out My Closet and promised he would never perform it again.
True to his word, he retired the song after performing it at the 2013 Leeds Festival.
Eminem and Debbie Nelson Remained Estranged in the Years Before Her Death
Debbie Nelson had six grandchildren.
Although they showed signs of wanting to fix their relationship, Eminem and Debbie appeared to remain distant in the years thereafter.
When the "The Real Slim Shady" singer was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Debbie publicly congratulated him in a video.
"I love you very much. I knew you'd get there. It's been a long ride. I'm very, very proud of you," Debbie added.
Debbie Nelson Died at the Age of 69
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Debbie Nelson died on December 2.
In September, In Touch released a report saying Debbie was "terminally ill with advanced lung cancer." Eminem was reportedly helping her financially but had not been in contact with her or other family members for years.
An insider said: "People around her aren't even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother. He's good to his mom. He makes sure he takes care of her, but they don't really talk. It would be good for both of them [to communicate]. This could give them the chance to reconcile."
On December 2, Debbie ultimately died at the age of 69.
How Eminem Reacted to Debbie Nelson's Death
Debbie Nelson died at the age of 69.
Eminem has not publicly commented yet, but a report said he left out the lyric "F--- you Debbie" when he performed his song Without Me at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix event five days after her death.
