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Eminem returned on stage following the passing of his mother, Debbie Nelson, and seemingly honored her memory with a subtle tribute during his gig on Saturday.
Although the acclaimed rapper has not publicly addressed his mother’s passing, he referenced the line “f–k you, Debbie” from his 2002 hit ‘Without Me’ during his gig at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix on December 7.
Eminem notably remained silent while many of the Grammy winner’s fans shouted the expletive while singing along.
While some fans speculate that the deliberate omission was Eminem’s understated homage to his late mother, with whom he shared a tumultuous relationship, others pointed out that this alteration to the lyrics has lasted for many years.
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The 52-year-old refrained from uttering the line during his 2002 MTV Video Music Awards performance three months following the song’s release. Besides, the 15-time Grammy winner allowed the crowd to fill in the controversial lyrics during his set at the Austin F1 Grand Prix this October.
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Aside from ‘Without Me,’ Nelson is also mentioned in ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet.’
In the 2002 song, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, revealed that he had witnessed his mother taking prescription pills in the kitchen and mentioned that he had been led to believe that he was sick, describing himself as a victim of Münchausen’s Syndrome.
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‘Without Me’ was written in the early 2000s, following Eminem’s legal battle with Debbie, who had sued him for defamation after he detailed her alleged drug abuse in his 1999 album ‘The Slim Shady LP.’
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Debbie received a $25,000 settlement in the legal proceedings, leading Eminem to criticize her publicly in 2002’s The Eminem Show. This album features ‘Without Me’ and ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet.’
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In 2011, the ‘Mockingbird’ rapper had a shit in perspective. “Even though we don’t speak, she is my mother, I do love her,” he said at the time, per E! Online. “And I think I better understood what she was or may be going through.”
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Eminem later apologized to his late mother in his 2013 track, ‘Headlights,’ expressing regret for what he had said about her.
“At the time, I was angry, rightfully? Maybe so / Never meant that far to take it though,” he rapped on the track. “‘Cause now I know it’s not your fault, and I’m not makin’ jokes / That song I no longer play at shows / And I cringe every time it’s on the radio.”
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