Eminem’s half-brother, Nate Mathers, broke his silence following the death of their mother, Debbie Nelson, at the age of 69. Nate, 38, posted a message on his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, the day after his mother passed away from lung cancer. He alluded to the complicated nature of their relationship, writing, “Hatred and mixed emotions today.” TMZ confirmed that Nelson died on Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri, after a long battle with advanced lung cancer. In September, In Touch reported that Nelson was “terminally ill” and had “a very limited amount of time left.” A source also revealed that Eminem, 52, was financially supporting his mother despite not speaking to her for “years.” The rapper has not yet publicly commented on his mother’s death.

Nelson was 18 when she gave birth to Eminem (Marshall Bruce Mathers III) with her high school sweetheart, Marshall Mathers Jr. They divorced shortly after Eminem’s birth. When Eminem was 13, Nelson had her second son, Nate, with her then-boyfriend Fred Samra. Nate was in foster care from the age of 8 to 16, after which Eminem became his legal guardian. “When he was taken away I always said if I ever get in a position to take him, I would take him,” Eminem recalled in a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone. “I tried to apply for full custody when I was twenty, but I didn’t have the means. I couldn’t support him.”

Eminem continued, “I watched him when he was in the foster home. He was so confused. I mean, I cried just goin’ to see him at the foster home. The day he was taken away I was the only one allowed to see him. They had come and got him out of school. He didn’t know what the f–k was goin’ on.” Nate, who is now married with three children, praised his older brother on Eminem’s daughter Hailie Jade’s podcast last year, saying, “He was the best role model I could have had to help me be the dad that I am today.”

Both Eminem and Nate became estranged from their mother. The famous musician even criticized Nelson in his music, notably in the lyrics of his 2002 track “Cleanin’ Out My Closet.” In response, Nelson sued her son for defamation. According to ABC News, Nelson won the lawsuit but only received $25,000 after initially seeking $11 million. She reportedly walked away with less than $2,000 after legal fees.

It is unclear whether Eminem and Nate reconciled with their mother before her death. However, in 2022, Nelson congratulated her eldest son on his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in a now-deleted video on X (formerly Twitter). “Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame,” Nelson said. “I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you,” she added.

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