Debbie Nelson, Mother of Eminem, Dies at 69 After Battling Lung Cancer

Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69. Her death was confirmed by Eminem’s representative, Dennis Dennehy, on Tuesday. While the cause of death has not been officially confirmed, Nelson had been battling lung cancer in recent years.

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has often referenced his complex relationship with his mother in his music. In his well-known tracks My Name Is and Cleanin’ Out My Closet, he publicly accused his mother of drug abuse and neglect. For instance, in Cleanin’ Out My Closet (2002), he raps, “Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen,” and later claims, “trying to take what you didn’t help me get.”

In addition to his music, Eminem’s relationship with his mother was depicted in the semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile (2002), where a fictionalized version of Debbie Nelson, played by Kim Basinger, was portrayed as an alcoholic.

Over the years, Debbie Nelson took legal action, settling defamation lawsuits against Eminem for his public statements about her. However, in her 2008 memoir My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, she sought to set the record straight. The book’s blurb describes Nelson as a “single mother who wanted the world for her son, only to see herself defamed and shut out when he got it,” according to Sky News’ U.S. partner network, NBC.

In the book, Nelson also reflected on Eminem’s early life, lamenting that he had forgotten the good times they shared. Despite their strained relationship, the tension between mother and son seemed to ease over the years. In 2013, Eminem expressed regret in his song Headlights, apologizing for the anger he once directed at her. “Cause to this day we remain estranged, and I hate it though,” he raps, adding, “But I’m sorry, momma, for Cleanin’ Out My Closet. At the time I was angry, rightfully? Maybe so.”

Debbie Nelson Eminem mother death

In 2022, Debbie Nelson publicly congratulated Eminem on his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sharing a heartfelt message 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.”