Eminem issued heartbreaking apology after publicly shaming his mum in song that went ‘too far’

Eminem once issued a heartbreaking apology after publicly shaming his mother in a song that went 'too far'.

The 'Slim Shady' rapper's representatives confirmed the news that his mum, Debbie Nelson, passed away this week aged 69 following a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer.

Following the news, Eminem's younger half-brother Nate issued a five-word statement on his Instagram Story on Tuesday (3 December), seemingly in response to the news of his mother's passing hitting the headlines.

Sharing a black screen with a white written message, he said: "Hatred and mixed emotions today."

Eminem once issued an apology to his mum after going 'too far' in one song about her (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

At the point of writing, Eminem has yet to publicly comment on Debbie's passing.

However, over his decade-spanning music career, the 51-year released several tracks alluding to his and Nate's fragmented relationship with Debbie.

In his 2002 track 'Cleanin' Out My Closet', he accused his mother neglecting and mistreating him throughout a huge proportion of his childhood.

The third verse of the song, which appeared on The Eminem Show album, centres around Debbie with lyrics like: "But put yourself in my position, just try to envision / Witnessin' your mama poppin' prescription pills in the kitchen."

The lyrics continue: "Goin' through public housing systems, victim of Münchausen's Syndrome / My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't.

"'Til I grew up, now I blew up, it makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it? Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me, Ma?"

In the song, Eminem also made a reference to his daughter, Hailie, saying Debbie would never be able to meet her.

Debbie Nelson passed away this week aged 69 following a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer (Mark Weiss/Getty Images)

He even claimed he wouldn't let Hailie attend his mother’s funeral.

"And Hailie's gettin' so big now, you should see her, she's beautiful / But you'll never see her, she won't even be at your funeral (Ha-ha!)," the lyrics read.

Then, over a decade later in 2013, Eminem released a track called 'Headlights' which seemed to point to the rapper's hope of making amends with his mother and seemed to act as an apology.

The lyrics said: "I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt / My mom probably got it the worst / The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far?"

"'Cleanin' Out My Closet' and all them other songs / But regardless, I don't hate you ‘cause, Ma. / You're still beautiful to me, 'cause you're my mom," the lyrics resolve.

In the track, he went on to confess he was 'mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad'.