Eminem's mother, Debbie Nelson, dies aged 69

Debbie Nelson, Eminem's mother, passed away at the age of 69. Their challenging relationship often found its way into many of his earlier songs.

The rapper's spokesperson, Dennis Dennehy, has confirmed to US media that his mother has passed away.

The official cause of death has not been determined yet, but it is known that Nelson had lung cancer.

Eminem has not made any public statements regarding his mother's passing.

The complicated relationship he had with his mother was most clearly revealed in one of his biggest songs, "Cleanin' Out My Closet."

In his 2002 track, Eminem angrily takes her to task for her struggles with substance abuse and lack of care.

"Seeing your mother take prescription medication in the kitchen," he says, before adding, "just keep convincing yourself that you were a good mom."

In 1999, Nelson took her son to court for defamation due to one of his songs, "My Name Is." However, she later revealed that it was actually her attorney who suggested the lawsuit. Ultimately, they reached a settlement outside of court for $25,000 (£19,000).

The rapper, who faced his own struggles with prescription medication, linked his addiction journey to that of his mother. In the 2009 song "My Mom," he remarked, "that's why I'm going through what I'm going through, because I'm just like my mom."

In 2008, Nelson released a memoir called My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, where she expressed feeling "devastated" by the allegations her son made about her.

Nelson praised her son when he was honored with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Over the years, the negativity in their relationship seemed to lessen.

In his 2013 song "Headlights," the rapper expressed regret for some of the things he had said in his previous songs.

"I apologize, Mom, for 'Cleanin’ Out My Closet,'" he rapped. "I was upset back then. Was it justified? Perhaps. But I never intended for things to escalate that much."

It seems they stayed largely distant for the remainder of her life, but when Eminem was honored with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, she took the opportunity to publicly congratulate him.

"Marshall, I just have to say that I couldn't let today pass without sending my congratulations to you," she expressed in a video that has since been removed.

"I care about you deeply. I always believed you would achieve this. It’s been a challenging journey. I am incredibly proud of what you've accomplished."