Eminem appeared to pay subtle tribute to his mother, Debbie Nelson, who passed away at the age of 69 after a battle with lung cancer.
The Grammy Award-winning rapper, 52, performed at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix event on Sunday, December 8, where he notably skipped the lyrics “F**k you Debbie” during a performance of the song “Without Me” in 2002.
Nelson’s death, confirmed by ‘TMZ, occurred on Monday, December 2, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Reports in September indicated that she was “terminally ill” and had a limited time left. Despite their estranged relationship, an insider claims that Eminem has been financially supporting his mother for years, even though they haven’t spoken in a long time.
Eminem’s half-brother Nathan Mathers expressed his sadness and conflict over the passing of their mother in a social media post.
“Mixed emotions today,” Nate, 38, wrote, the day after news of Nelson’s death became public. Nate, who was in foster care from age 8 to 16, was later adopted by Eminem as his legal guardian.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, and Nelson have shared a tumultuous history, with the rapper often referencing their strained relationship in his music. Nelson, who fathered Eminem with her high school sweetheart, Marshall Mathers Jr., famously sued her son in 1999 for $11 million for claims of defamation and distress. about the sentiments attached to the lyrics of his debut album, ‘The Slim Shady LP.’ Nelson was awarded $25,000 in damages, although she reportedly received less than $2,000 after attorney fees.
Despite the lawsuit, Eminem continued to address his mother in his music, including the controversial 2002 song “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”. Nelson later published a memoir in 2007, ‘My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem’, detailing their relationship.
Nate’s time in foster care and his eventual guardianship by Eminem reflect the family’s challenging dynamics. Speaking to ‘Rolling Stone’ in 2004, Eminem recalled: “When he was taken away, I always said if I could take him, I would take him. I tried to apply for full custody of my children when I turned 20, but I didn’t have the means.”
It is unclear whether Eminem and Nate reconciled with Nelson before her death, although she publicly congratulated Eminem on being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 in a social media post has now been deleted.
Eminem’s recent shows in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Riyadh, contained no direct acknowledgment of Nelson’s passing, other than subtle omissions of lyrics. controversial song. He also hasn’t posted anything to his official Instagram or X accounts regarding his mother’s death.
— Originally published on Enstarz
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