Eminem issued heartbreaking apology after publicly shaming his mum in song that went ‘too far’
Eminem once issued a heartbreaking apology after publicly shaming his mother in a song that went 'too far'.
The 'Slim Shady' rapper's representatives confirmed the news that his mum, Debbie Nelson, passed away this week aged 69 following a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer.
Following the news, Eminem's younger half-brother Nate issued a five-word statement on his Instagram Story on Tuesday (3 December), seemingly in response to the news of his mother's passing hitting the headlines.
Sharing a black screen with a white written message, he said: "Hatred and mixed emotions today."
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At the point of writing, Eminem has yet to publicly comment on Debbie's passing.
However, over his decade-spanning music career, the 51-year released several tracks alluding to his and Nate's fragmented relationship with Debbie.
In his 2002 track 'Cleanin' Out My Closet', he accused his mother neglecting and mistreating him throughout a huge proportion of his childhood.
The third verse of the song, which appeared on The Eminem Show album, centres around Debbie with lyrics like: "But put yourself in my position, just try to envision / Witnessin' your mama poppin' prescription pills in the kitchen."
The lyrics continue: "Goin' through public housing systems, victim of Münchausen's Syndrome / My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't.
"'Til I grew up, now I blew up, it makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it? Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me, Ma?"
In the song, Eminem also made a reference to his daughter, Hailie, saying Debbie would never be able to meet her.
He even claimed he wouldn't let Hailie attend his mother’s funeral.
"And Hailie's gettin' so big now, you should see her, she's beautiful / But you'll never see her, she won't even be at your funeral (Ha-ha!)," the lyrics read.
Then, over a decade later in 2013, Eminem released a track called 'Headlights' which seemed to point to the rapper's hope of making amends with his mother and seemed to act as an apology.
The lyrics said: "I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt / My mom probably got it the worst / The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far?"
"'Cleanin' Out My Closet' and all them other songs / But regardless, I don't hate you ‘cause, Ma. / You're still beautiful to me, 'cause you're my mom," the lyrics resolve.
In the track, he went on to confess he was 'mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad'.
Rhiannon Ingle