Eminem's relationship with his mother, Debbie Nelson, was certainly not the easiest a son could ask for. When one of your own, especially your caretaker, sues you for alleged defamation, it certainly hits a little harder. That was just one rough patch that these two went through, but time managed to take away some of the disdain for the Detroit MC. In the mid-2010s, Slim Shady did show some signs of remorse for the harsh words and actions he directed toward her. His 2013 song "Headlights" featuring Nate Ruess was a sign of him trying to turn things around.
Mrs. Nelson also began to show more love than hateful energy by congratulating her superstar son for his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction two years ago. "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."
Eminem Couldn't Bring Himself To Perform "Without Me" In Full
It's very unfortunate that it's unsure where their relationship was standing prior to Debbie's death last week. But based on those previous examples and this most recent one, it seems that they were in maybe the best place they had been for quite some time. According to Uproxx, Em had a big concert in Abu Dhabi at their F1 Grand Prix raceway just a few days after she tragically lost her battle to advanced lung cancer.
During the performance, he made sure to pay some sort of tribute to her, doing so during "Without Me." Most remember the controversial lyric, "F*** you Debbie!" However, Eminem decided to skip that and let the crowd shout it out instead. It might not be the perfect way to go about it, but him making the subtle change is definitely better. He has yet to publicly comment on Debbie's passing. During this time, we are continuing to wish the best for him and his loved ones.