Eminem performs for the first time since mom's tragic death and sings controversial song about her
12/08/2024 10:04 AM
Eminem returned to the stage last night for the first time since the death of his mom Debbie last week.
The Slim Shady rapper, 51, made his first public appearance at the gig, which was part of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix.
The concert, which took place at Ethiad Park in the UAE capital, came just six days after the passing of his mother Debbie Nelson.
Debbie died after a battle with advanced lung cancer on Monday December 2.
Eminem – real name Marshall Mathers – had been estranged from her for years before her death following several legal battles.
He even penned a track about their strained relationship in his lyrics, infamously shouting "F**k you Debbie" in his hit song Without Me.
And last night at his gig, he performed that very track.
Fans were unsure if he would sing the lyric, given the loss of his mother, but he chose to let the crowd sing it instead rather than changing the lyrics.
The crowd singing this particular lyric has been a staple of his concerts for years.
Tiktokker @knoxy295 shared footage from the gig, which showed Eminem avoid actually shouting the expletive about his mom.
One fan was pleased the award winning artist chose not to sing the lyric himself.
They wrote on X: “Kinda glad when he preformed without me he didn’t say ‘f** you debbie'”
Another agreed, saying: “He should not have said f u Debbie since she just died.”
A third said: “She was dead to him a long time ago.”
A fourth added: “He can do what he wants.”
Eminem is yet to make a public statement since his mom passed away.
The pair are believed to have reconciled following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2010, and he vowed to stop performing certain songs about her, including the diss track Cleanin’ Out My Closet.
It is unknown, however, what the state of their relationship was like in the lead up to Debbie’s passing.
In 2021, Eminem named his hometown restaurant Mom’s Spaghetti – in reference to a lyric from his song Lose Yourself.
The following year, as he was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Debbie publicly congratulated her son.
She said: "Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame.
"I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you."
