Debbie Nelson dead: Eminem’s mother dies at age 69

On By Littum

Debbie Nelson, mother of rap superstar Eminem, has died. She was 69.

A rep for Eminem confirmed People that Nelson died last night (December 2) in St Joseph, Missouri. The cause of death was given as complications from lung cancer.

It was reported in September that Nelson was “terminally ill” and did not have long to live.

Eminem’s relationship with his mother was famously tumultuous, and he often depicted her in his lyrics as unstable and difficult. The chorus from his 2002 single “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” read: “I’m sorry Mama / I never meant to hurt you / I never meant to make you cry / But tonight I’m cleaning my closet.”

In 2008, Nelson published a seminal memoir about her life and her experiences with the rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, titled My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the record straight on my life as Eminem’s mother.

Nelson claimed in her memoir that much of what her son had said about her was made up or exaggerated to help his rise as a rapper. She said she had sued him in 2000 for defamation to raise money to stop the foreclosure of her house. She also said she was not angry with her son.

Eminem often rapped about his strained relationship with his mother

Eminem often rapped about his strained relationship with his mother (Associated Press)

“If I made one mistake as a mother, it was giving in to my oldest son’s every whim,” Nelson writes in the book.

“He never knew his father and I did everything I could to make up for it. I wasn’t happy when he made a whole new life for himself – what mother wants to be known as a pill-popping alcoholic living on welfare? To tell the truth, I was devastated.

“The lies started coming thick and fast — and not just from Marshall. … I think he’s forgotten the good times we had, and this book is my way of setting the record straight.”

Nelson was born in 1955 on a military base in Kansas to parents Betty Hixson and Bob Nelson. She worked at various jobs throughout her life, including owning a taxi limousine company.

She was known as Debbie Mathers at the time of Eminem’s birth, but reverted to her maiden name Debbie Nelson after realizing that she had become famous through her son’s lyrics.

She is survived by her sons Marshall Mathers and Nathan Samra-Mathers and her grandchildren Hailie Jade, Alaina Marie Mathers and Stevie Laine.