Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, dies at 69

Debbie Nelson, the mother of rap star Eminemhas died, a representative for the musician confirmed to NBC News. She was 69.

Nelson died in a Missouri hospital Monday night from lung cancer, TMZ reported.

Eminem often highlighted his strained relationship with his mother in his music early in his career. In two of his most popular songs, “My Name Is” and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” he accuses his mother of abusing drugs and being neglectful.

Nelson filed a $10 million lawsuit against her son, born Marshall Mathers, for defamation in 1999 and won, Variety reported. In 2000, she released the song “Dear Marshall,” in which she apologized to her son and asked him to stop attacking her.

In the 2002 film “8 Mile,” which stars Eminem and includes some autobiographical details, Kim Basinger played a fictionalized version of his mother, who was an alcoholic.

Nelson tried to clear her name with a book in 2008 titled “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem.”

“‘My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem’ is her rebuttal to these widely believed lies — a poignant story of a single mother who wanted the world for her son, only to see herself defamed and shut out when he got it,” reads a blurb on the back of the book.

In an interview with NBC’s “TODAY” show after the book was published, Nelson said it wasn’t her intention to sue Mathers. Eminem and his then-wife were living in Nelson’s house, which was going to be repossessed, prompting her to hire a lawyer. It was the lawyer who filed for defamation after having found out who her son was.

The 2013 song “Headlights” seemed to represent a change of heart for Eminem toward his mother. In it, he apologized to Nelson and said he forgave her.

“’Cause to this day we remain estranged, and I hate it though,” he rapped. “’Cause you ain’t even get to witness your grandbabies grow. But I’m sorry, momma, for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet.’ At the time I was angry, rightfully? Maybe so. Never meant that far to take it, though.”

A representative for Eminem did not have any additional comment.