Eminem is renowned across the globe for his ‘no f**ks given’ attitude towards the celebrity lifestyle.
Throughout his long-standing career as a rap star, he has ceaselessly dragged hoards of A-list names through the mud, including the likes of actor Lindsay Lohan, singer Mariah Carey and more recently, fellow rapper Machine Gun Kelly.
While the majority of stars have let go of their grievances after being so publicly slammed by the rapper in his chart-topping tracks, one particular song got under the skin of a certain listener back in 1999, who later opted to sue him.
We are, of course, talking about Eminem’s own mother Debbie Mathers-Briggs.
The two were known to have endured a turbulent relationship since the hitmaker – real name Marshall Mathers – was a child.
He frequently opened up on the realities of his childhood in his numerous singles and press interviews.
In his 1999 hit ‘My Name Is’ – which featured on his The Slim Shady LP – Eminem alleged his mum ‘smokes more dope than I do’, after which he was met with a wave of backlash from his somewhat estranged mother.
The release of the much-loved yet controversial single – which has since been placed on Rolling Stone’s list of ‘100 Greatest Hip-Hop songs of all time’ – undoubtedly rubbed Debbie up the wrong way, and she ended up filing a $10 million (£7.9m) defamation lawsuit against him that same year.
She claimed her son was lying about his upbringing and slandering her, accusations to which Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg responded: “Eminem’s life is reflected in his music.
“Everything he has said can be verified as true. Truth is an absolute defence to a claim of defamation. This lawsuit does not come as a surprise to Eminem.
“His mother has been threatening to sue him since the success of his single ‘My Name Is’. It is merely the result of a lifelong strained relationship between him and mother.
“Regardless, it is still painful to be sued by your mother and therefore the lawsuit will only be dealt with through legal channels.”
In 2001, two years after launching the lawsuit against her son, Debbie was awarded $25,000, though most of it went to legal fees, leaving her with just $1,600.
Despite her win, the Rap God continued to fire shots at his mother and his bleak upbringing, writing one of his most contentious hits ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ a year later.
He spat in the 2002 single: “Witnessing your momma popping prescription pills in the kitchen / B****ing that someone’s always going through her purse and s***’s missing / Going through public housing systems, victim of Munchausen syndrome / My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn’t / Till I grew up, now I blew up, it makes you sick to ya stomach.”
It sounds as though the 8 Mile frontman spent the subsequent 12 years thinking over his and Debbie’s hostile relationship.
So much so that back in 2014, he somewhat apologised to his mother for the release of the track in his single ‘Headlights’, vowing never to perform ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ in public again.
He began: “My mom probably got it the worst. The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far? / Cleaning 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 rapper went on: “But I’m sorry mama for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet,’ at the time I was angry / Rightfully maybe so, never meant that far to take it though, ‘cause / Now I know it’s not your fault and I’m not making jokes / That song I no longer pay at shows and I cringe every time it’s on the radio.”