Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem and a central figure in his early music, has died at the age of 69.
The news was confirmed by the artist’s representative, Dennis Dennehy, to US media.
Nelson’s cause of death has not been disclosed, though she was known to have been battling lung cancer.
Eminem has not yet issued a public statement regarding her passing.
Nelson and Eminem’s tumultuous relationship was a recurring theme in the rapper’s earlier music, with one of the most notable examples being his 2002 hit Cleanin’ Out My Closet.
In the song, Eminem leveled harsh accusations against his mother, rapping: “Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen” and later adding, “Keep telling yourself that you was a mom.”
Their conflicts also played out in the public eye. In 1999, Nelson sued Eminem for defamation over his lyrics in My Name Is.
She later revealed the lawsuit was her lawyer’s idea and eventually settled out of court for $25,000 (£19,000).
Eminem has also connected his own struggles with prescription drug addiction to his mother’s experiences.
On the 2009 track My Mom, he rapped: “That’s why I’m on what I’m on, ’cause I’m my mom.”
In 2008, Debbie Nelson published a memoir titled My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, in which she expressed sadness over her son’s portrayal of her, saying she was “heartbroken” by his allegations.
Nelson’s death marks the end of a complex chapter in Eminem’s life, one that has been both deeply personal and widely publicized through his music.
Vanguard News