Nelson and hip-hop star had a rocky relationship, widely known through song lyrics and two defamation lawsuits

Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem, whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics, has died. She was 69.

Eminem’s longtime representative Dennis Dennehy confirmed Nelson’s death in an email on Tuesday. He did not provide a cause of death, although Nelson had battled lung cancer.