Eminem's Half-Brother Breaks Silence After Their Mom Debbie's Death

Eminem's younger half-brother, Nathan "Nate" Mathers, has finally addressed their mother's heartbreaking demise.

The rapper's sibling broke his silence about the situation on Instagram, a day after his mother, Debbie Mathers (née Nelson), passed away on Monday, December 2.

The relationship between the half-brothers and their late mother has been complicated, with Eminem referencing their strained bond in his early music. However, the family showed signs of reconciliation years before Debbie's death.

Nathan had little to say about his mother's passing, but his short words were enough to convey the pain he was in. He took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday, December 3, with a black background and white text that read:

"Hatred and mixed emotions today."

While Eminem had yet to address their mother's death, Nathan's message showed that he had not wrapped his head around the tragic situation. His poignant words were understandable, given their family's complicated history.

Eminem's father, Marshall Mathers Jr., abandoned him and Debbie when he was just a baby. Years later, his mother welcomed Nathan with her boyfriend, Fred Samra, in 1986 when the rapper was 13. However, their family soon fell apart.

When Nathan was 8, he was taken into foster care, an experience Eminem addressed in a 2004 interview. "When he was taken away, I always said if I ever get in a position to take him, I would take him," he recalled.

"I tried to apply for full custody when I was 20, but I didn't have the means," Eminem lamented. He repeatedly tried to gain custody of his half-brother and successfully became his guardian at 23.

The "Venom" hitmaker stressed that he never gave up because it was heartbreaking watching Nathan go in and out of foster homes at a young age. "I mean, I cried just going to see him at the foster home," he confessed, per PEOPLE, adding:

"The day he was taken away, I was the only one allowed to see him. They had come and got him out of school. He didn't know what the f— was going on. The same thing that had happened in my life was happening in his."

When Eminem gained custody of Nathan, his younger half-brother was 16, a teenager whose life significantly changed thanks to the entertainer's influence. He raved about his guardian's impact in a 2023 interview.

While appearing on his niece Hailie Jade Scott's "Just a Little Shady" podcast, Nathan revealed he was inspired to join the music industry because of Eminem.

"I had learned from your dad, my brother, how to do music and how to write formulas, compound syllables, whatnot, and tested it out in the beginning," he explained.

"From there, I started looking around for beats and whatnot and got comfortable enough with my voice and writing skills that I started recording and getting a feel for songs, how I would deliver them, and how that would formulate to where people would enjoy it," Nathan added.

While reflecting on Eminem's impact on his life, Nathan told Hailie that her father was the best example of what a dad should be. He defended his brother, stressing that despite what the public might believe, he was a fantastic guardian.

"Oh, yeah, I mean going off of lyrics and everything — I could see that [people thought he wouldn't be a good dad]. He was the best role model I could have had to help me be the dad that I am today," Nathan declared.

The younger sibling welcomed three children — daughter Audrianna and sons Liam and Carter — with his wife Ashley Mae Mathers (née Withey). The couple tied the knot on May 6, 2018, but have been tightlipped about how they met or when they started dating.

Nathan's trip down the aisle came six years before his mother's death. The Blast reported that Debbie passed away following a battle with advanced lung cancer. She revealed her poor health in September, with reports claiming she had little time left.

Debbie eventually succumbed to the illness on December 2, taking her final breath in St. Joseph, Missouri. Her passing came years after a strained relationship with her sons, especially Eminem. However, the rapper extended an olive branch to his mother through his song "Headlights."

In the track, Eminem expressed remorse for their complicated past and apologized for his harsh words while acknowledging their shared pain. Debbie returned the favor in 2022 in a since-deleted social media post, celebrating her son's induction to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Will Eminem address his mother's passing?