During a recent performance, Eminem appeared to pay understated respect to his late mother, Debbie Nelson, who passed away at the age of 69. The rapper performed his hit “Without Me” at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix just five days after the news of her death emerged.
A notable moment occurred when he refrained from rapping the song’s infamous lyric, “F–k Debbie,” despite fans shouting it aloud. This deliberate silence marked a subtle departure from his usual performance style.
On stage, Eminem skips a line, leaving fans pondering his feelings after his mother’s death
Eminem has not addressed Nelson’s death publicly, leaving his feelings about the loss unclear. Their strained relationship was widely documented and reflected in his music, where she was frequently the subject of his sharpest critiques.
In tracks like “Without Me” and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” Eminem vividly detailed their tumultuous bond. In the latter, he accused her of substance abuse and alleged she fabricated illnesses during his childhood, labeling himself a victim of Münchausen Syndrome.
Despite these accusations, the rapper later expressed remorse in his 2015 song “Headlights,” admitting the pain he had caused with his lyrics. Whether they reconciled before her death from advanced lung cancer remains uncertain.
In a 2008 interview, Nelson expressed optimism about repairing their relationship, stating, “I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids. There’s hope for everybody.” Her younger son, Nathan “Nate” Kane Mathers, responded to her death with a candid Instagram Story, sharing feelings of “hatred and mixed emotions,” adding another layer of complexity to the family’s narrative.
