Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson dies from cancer at 69
By Daryl Nelson
Sad news to share. Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson passed away from lung cancer last night in St. Joseph, Missouri, according to TMZ. She was 69 years old. In September, it was reported that she was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and was terminally ill.
At the time, it was said that Nelson was going back and forth between family members and a cancer center. It was also reported then that Eminem didn't visit his mother in Missouri, although there's a good chance he did before she passed.
Em and his mother had a very contentious relationship throughout the years, with the rapper blasting her in songs like "Cleanin' Out My Closet." In that cut, he accused Nelson of having Münchausen's Syndrome, described by UK's National Health Service as "a psychological condition where someone pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves."
Nelson sued Em for defamation in 1999 and detailed her relationship with him in the 2007 memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem. Then in 2013, the rapper released "Headlights," featuring Fun's Nate Ruess, a song on his Curtain Call 2 album where he apologizes to his mother. Em also expresses regret about writing songs like "Cleanin' Out My Closet."
"I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt / In what verse, my mom probably got it the worst / The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far? / 'Cleanin' Out My Closet' and all them other songs / But regardless, I don't hate you ‘cause Ma / You're still beautiful to me, ‘cause you're my mom," raps Eminem in "Headlights."
He hasn't spoken about his mother's death yet, nor has he mentioned anything about it on social media. Still, we here at FanSided and Rhyme Junkie give our condolences to Em, and his mom's entire family.