Eminem’s mother Debbie Nelson dies aged 69 after reported lung cancer battle

Rapper Eminem previously spoke about his rocky relationship with his mother, who died on Monday (US time).

Eminem’s mother Debbie Nelson has died.

The 52-year-old rap icon’s 69-year-old mother is said to have battled lung cancer and passed away on Monday (US time) in St. Joseph, Missouri, according to TMZ.

The Lose Yourself hitmaker and Nelson had a rocky relationship, with the rapper documenting their ups and downs in hits including, Cleanin’ Out My Closet and Headlights.

Nelson’s passing comes five years after Eminem’s estranged father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr, died after a heart attack at the age of 67.

Nelson became pregnant with Eminem - whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III - in 1972 when she was 18.

Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson during a portrait session outside her house in 2005. Photo / Mark Weiss, Getty Images

She sued her son for $11 million for defamation because of the lyrics to 2002’s Cleanin’ Out My Closet, on which he rapped:

“Now, I would never diss my own mama just to get recognition, take a second to listen ‘fore you think this record is dissin’ but put yourself in my position, just try to envision, witnessin' your mama poppin' prescription pills in the kitchen”.

Eminem starred in the 2002 film 8 Mile, which was loosely based on his own life growing up in a trailer park and his strained relationship with his mother.

It told the story of Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith Jr. (Eminem), a young white rapper trying to make it in the predominantly black hip-hop scene of Detroit.

In an interview in 2008, Nelson admitted she wanted to put their differences aside.

She told Village Voice: “I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids. I won’t give up on anybody.

“There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It’s like a cashed cheque. It’s over, it’s done. You need to move on”.

By 2013, Eminem released Headlights as an apology to his mum.

He spat: “I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt/My mom probably got it the worst”.

Eminem added: “And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad/So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet.”

When her son was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Nelson congratulated him in a special video message.

She said: “Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame. I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you.

Nelson also had a second son called Nathan Samra-Mathers with Fred Samra Jr in 1986.