Tragic Details About Eminem And His Mom's Relationship Emerge After Her Death
Few song lyrics from the early 2000s are more iconic than "His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy / There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti." Eminem's mom's spaghetti, though most have never actually tried it, has been a true staple in his fanbase since the song "Lose Yourself" was released in 2002. The rapper is no stranger to complicated relationships, like his difficult marriage to ex-wife, Kim Scott. But, if appearances mean anything, he seems to have been a great dad to his three kids despite the fact that his bond with his mom, Debbie Nelson, has been tumultuous for decades.
Nelson tragically passed away at age 69, on the night of December 2, 2024, after a battle with advanced lung cancer. Nelson was a smoker, and she had a rocky history with her son. According to TMZ, Nelson actually sued her son for defamation, and wrote about their relationship in her memoir, "My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem." Though their connection was strained for most of the Detroit rapper's life, the death of one's mother will certainly take a toll on the child, even in the toughest upbringings.
Eminem supported his mother financially, even when he went years without speaking to her
According to In Touch, a source who was close to Marshall Mathers' mother, Debbie Nelson, said, "[Eminem is] good to his mom. He makes sure he takes care of her, but they don't really talk. It would be good for both of them [to communicate]. This could give them the chance to reconcile." Eminem was reportedly taking care of his mother financially, ensuring that she was always able to live comfortably, even in her final few months, but he reportedly had not spoken to his mother for years. The source also said, "People around her aren't even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother."
At the time of her book release, Nelson was battling breast cancer as well, and she told the Village Voice, "I'm not ever gonna give up on my kids ... there's hope for everybody. It's a matter of just basically swallowing your pride." Even after she sued Eminem for defamation over lyrics he wrote, accusing his mother of doing drugs, Nelson desired a reconciliation with her Grammy award-winning son. Though Eminem did publicly apologize to his mother in the lyrics of his song "Headlights" in 2013, it's sadly unclear whether they were really able to mend the relationship before Nelson passed away.