Sad news out of the music world today, as Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, has passed away at the age of 69.
The rapper’s strained relationship with Debbie inspired several of his songs and some of the more harrowing scenes in his 2002 biographical film 8 Mile.
But the relationship between mother and son improved in recent years, and Debbie publicly congratulated Em on his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
The reconciliation began nearly a decade prior, when Em released the song “Headlights,” in which he expressed his regret over his earlier verbal attacks on Debbie.
Debbie Nelson’s Cause of Death Revealed
As we previously reported, Debbie was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer earlier this year.
While there’s been no official announcement with regard to the cause of death, sources tell TMZ that Debbie succumbed to her illness Monday night.
News of Debbie’s worsening health first came to us courtesy of a report from In Touch.
“There are not many options [for Debbie],” a source told the outlet in September.
“She is currently staying between the cancer center and with family members. She has a very limited amount of time [left].”
The insider went on to express concern over whether Em even knew about his mother’s condition.
“People around her aren’t even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother,” the source explained.
In addition to Eminem — whose real name is Marshall Mathers — Debbie is survived by another son, Nathan, as well as six grandchildren.
“I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids,” she told The Village Voice in 2007 while promoting her memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem.
“There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. I’m still under doctor’s care, which I probably will be for a while,” Debbie continued.
“Basically, a lot of the stuff is hereditary, but that happens. Cancers and heart disease and all that, and all the genetic things. I worry about my boys, having high blood pressure and things.”
In the end, Debbie’s persistence paid off, as she and Em were at least partially reconciled at the time of her death.
A Roller Coaster Year
It’s been an eventful year for the Mathers family.
In May, Eminem’s eldest daughter, Hailie Jade Mathers, got married to longtime boyfriend Evan McClintock.
And in October, Hailie revealed that she’s pregnant with her first child.
So while 2024 is ending on a tragic note, Eminem and his loved ones still have much to be grateful for.
Our thoughts go out to the entire Mathers family during this difficult time.