Eminem's mother, Debbie Nelson, dies at 69

Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, has passed away, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the artist to NBC News. She was 69 years old.

According to TMZ, Nelson passed away from lung cancer in a hospital in Missouri on Monday night.

Nelson's complicated relationship with his mother frequently came up in his music during the early stages of his career. In two of his hit songs, "My Name Is" and "Cleanin' Out My Closet," he criticizes her for struggling with substance abuse and failing to care for him properly.

In 1999, Nelson sued her son, Marshall Mathers, for $10 million, claiming defamation, and she was victorious, according to Variety. In 2008, she published a book called "My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem" as a way to defend her reputation in response to her son's music.

"'My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem' challenges the commonly held misconceptions about their relationship. It tells a heartfelt tale of a single mother who aspired to give her son the best, only to find herself vilified and excluded when he achieved success," states the book's back cover.

In a conversation with "TODAY" following the release of her book, Nelson clarified that she never meant to take legal action against Mathers. At that time, Eminem and his wife were staying in her home, which was at risk of being taken back by the bank, leading her to seek legal help. It was her lawyer who initiated the defamation suit upon discovering her son's identity.

A spokesperson for Eminem did not provide any further remarks.

Mirna Alsharif works as a reporter covering breaking news for NBC News.

Scheduler for NBC News Entertainment Division