Eminem appears to have subtly paid tribute to his mother, Debbie Nelson, who passed away at the age of 69 following a battle with lung cancer.
The Grammy-winning rapper, 52, performed at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix event on Sunday, December 8, where he notably omitted the lyric "F**k you Debbie" during his performance of the 2002 track "Without Me."
Nelson's death, confirmed by 'TMZ,' occurred on Monday, December 2, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Reports in September indicated that she was "terminally ill" with only a limited time left. Despite their estranged relationship, an insider claimed that Eminem had been financially supporting his mother for years, though they had not spoken in a long time.
Eminem's half-brother, Nathan Mathers, expressed his grief and conflict over their mother's passing in a social media post.
"Hatred and mixed emotions today," wrote Nate, 38, one day after news of Nelson's death became public. Nate, who was in foster care from age 8 to 16, was later taken in by Eminem as his legal guardian.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, and Nelson shared a tumultuous history, with the rapper often referencing their strained relationship in his music. Nelson, who gave birth to Eminem with her high school sweetheart, Marshall Mathers Jr., famously sued her son in 1999 for $11 million over claims of defamation and emotional distress tied to lyrics in his debut album, 'The Slim Shady LP.' Nelson was awarded $25,000 in damages, though she reportedly received less than $2,000 after attorney fees.
Despite the lawsuit, Eminem continued addressing his mother in his music, including his controversial 2002 track "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 reflected the family's challenging dynamics. Speaking to 'Rolling Stone' in 2004, Eminem recalled, "When he was taken away, I always said if I ever get in a position to take him, I would take him. I tried to apply for full custody when I was 20, but I didn't have the means."
Read more: Eminem's Half-Brother Nate Says He Feels 'Hatred and Mixed Emotions' One Day After Mom's Death
It is unclear if Eminem and Nate reconciled with Nelson before her death, though she publicly congratulated Eminem on his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 in a now-deleted social media post.
Eminem's recent performances in the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Riyadh, have shown no direct acknowledgment of Nelson's passing, aside from the subtle omission of the contentious lyric. He also hasn't posted anything on his official Instagram or X accounts pertaining to his mom's death.
-- Originally published on Enstarz
