- Debbie Nelson dies at 69
- Relationship with Eminem
- Recent years and final messages
Debbie Nelson, mother of the iconic rapper Eminem, has died at 69. Her passing occurred on the evening of December 2nd in St. Joseph, Missouri, due to complications related to lung cancer. The news, first reported by 'TMZ,' was later confirmed by a representative of Eminem to PEOPLE. Nelson's illness had been public knowledge since September, with multiple outlets reporting on her condition.
Debbie Nelson's early life and marriage
Born in 1955 on a military base in Kansas, Debbie Nelson's early life was far from easy. Her parents separated before she was ten, leaving her to shoulder significant responsibilities as the eldest of five children. At 16, she married Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., Eminem's father, and two years later, she gave birth to the future rap legend in 1972.
Relationship with Eminem
Nelson and Eminem's relationship was famously tumultuous. Eminem, now 52, publicly criticized her in his 2002 song "Cleanin' Out My Closet," prompting Nelson to sue him for defamation, seeking 11million. 'ABC News' reported that while the court ruled in her favor, she was awarded only 25,000, which dwindled to about $1,600 after legal fees. Despite their rocky past, Nelson expressed hope for reconciliation in a 2008 interview, saying, "There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride."
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Recent Years and Final Messages
In 2013, Eminem released "Headlights," a song many fans interpreted as an apology to his mother. The lyrics included heartfelt sentiments like, "So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet." In recent years, Nelson celebrated her son's achievements from afar. Notably, she congratulated him on his 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, expressing her pride in a since-deleted video message. Eminem's estranged father died in 2019 at 67, and Nelson is survived by her other son, Nathan Mathers.
