Debbie Nelson, mother of Eminem, passes away at 69.

      Debbie Nelson, mother of Eminem, passes away at 69. 😀                                               

Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, has passed away at the age of 69.

A representative for Eminem confirmed to PEOPLE that Nelson died on the evening of Monday, Dec. 2, in St. Joseph, Missouri, due to complications from lung cancer. The news was first reported by TMZ.

Reports of Nelson’s illness surfaced in September, when multiple outlets covered her health struggles.

Born in 1955 on a military base in Kansas, Nelson described her upbringing as challenging in her 2008 memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem. She wrote about growing up in a "large dysfunctional family," noting that her parents separated before she turned 10, leaving her, the eldest of five children, to take on responsibilities for the family.

At 16, Nelson married Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., Eminem's father. Two years later, in 1972, she gave birth to the future rap icon known for hits like "Lose Yourself."   

Eminem, 52, and his mother, Debbie Nelson, had a tumultuous relationship throughout her life. He famously criticized her in his 2002 song "Cleanin' Out My Closet," prompting Nelson to file a $11 million defamation lawsuit against him.

According to ABC News, while the court ruled in her favor, she was awarded just $25,000 of the requested amount. After legal fees, Nelson ultimately received only about $1,600.

In a 2008 interview with The Village Voice, Debbie Nelson expressed a willingness to reconcile with Eminem. "There’s hope for everybody," she said. "It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It’s like a cashed check. It’s over, it’s done. You need to move on."

Fans later speculated that Eminem extended an olive branch through his 2013 song "Headlights," which appeared to be an apology to Nelson. In the song, he reflects on their strained relationship, singing, "And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad. So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet."

In recent years, Debbie Nelson celebrated her son’s successes from a distance. When Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, she shared her congratulations online.

"Marshall, I want to say I couldn’t let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame," Nelson said in a since-deleted video. "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’s estranged father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., passed away in 2019 at the age of 67. Along with Eminem, Nelson is survived by her other son, Nathan Mathers.