Eminem’s Mother Debbie Nelson Dies At 69 After Reported Cancer Battle

Eminem is mourning a close personal loss. The music superstar’s mother, Debbie Nelson, has died at age 69. A representative for Eminem confirmed the news to multiple outlets including NBC News on Dec. 3. According to TMZ, Nelson died at a Missouri hospital the previous evening following a battle with lung cancer. Nelson’s illness first made headlines in September though neither she nor her famous son publicly confirmed her condition. Nelson and Eminem’s rocky relationship was chronicled in several of his hit songs including “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” and “My Name Is,” the latter of which prompted her to file a reported $10 million defamation suit against the rapper in 1999. Nelson reportedly settled for $25,000 out of court and later claimed in an interview on “Today” that suing Eminem was her lawyer’s idea. She further defended herself in a 2008 memoir and Em went on to offer an apology five years later in his song “Headlights.” Most recently, Nelson is said to have congratulated Eminem for his 2022 induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in a now-deleted social media video.