Eminem headlined a concert at the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after his mom, Debbie Nelson, died following a battle with lung cancer.
The “Mockingbird” rapper — born Marshall Mathers — returned to the stage to perform in front of around 40,000 fans at Etihad Park in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday night.
The hitmaker documented his performance via X Sunday, with a fan saying he “delivered a powerful performance.”
On Wednesday, Eminem, 52, confirmed he would still perform at the Grand Prix weekend after news broke his mom had died at the age of 69.
According to TMZ, Nelson passed away in St. Joseph, Mo., three months after it was announced she was “terminally ill with advanced lung cancer.”
“There are not many options [for Debbie],” an insider told InTouch Weekly earlier this year. “She is currently staying between the cancer center and with family members. She has a very limited amount of time.”
Per the source, Eminem hadn’t visited Nelson amid her illness.
The Grammy winner’s rocky relationship with his mother inspired several of his hit songs, including 2002’s “Cleanin’ Out My Closet.”
“Now, I would never diss my own mama just to get recognition / Take a second to listen ‘fore you think this record is dissin’ / But put yourself in my position, just try to envision / Witnessin’ your mama poppin’ prescription pills in the kitchen,” he raps on the track.
Nelson later sued her famous son for defamation, requesting $11 million in damages. However, she was granted only $25,000 and ultimately ended up with $1,600 after paying her legal team.
More than a decade before her death, Nelson talked about reconciling with Eminem, telling the Village Voice in 2008 that she “won’t give up.”
“There’s hope for everybody. 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,” she said.
Eminem issued an apology to his mom in his 2013 track “Headlights,” admitting he “probably” hurt his mom “the worst.”
The “Without Me” rapper has yet to speak out about Nelson’s death, although his half-brother, Nathan “Nate” Kane Mathers, addressed her passing in a scathing post one day after.
Nelson welcomed Eminem with Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. in 1972. She welcomed Nate with Fred Samara Jr. about 14 years later.
Read the full article here
