Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., the estranged father of Eminem, has reportedly passed away at age 67, having suffered a heart attack at his home this week.
As TMZ reports, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. passed away at his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana this week, having suffered a heart attack at the age of 67. While no formal announcement has been made, the site has cited people close to the family as the source of this information.
As anyone who has ever listened to an Eminem song could tell you, the rapper did not have what could be considered a positive relationship with his parents. Born to Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and Deborah Rae Nelson in 1972, the elder Mathers reportedly left the family while the future hip-hop icon was still a baby.
Back in 1999, Eminem took part in an interview with Rolling Stone, explaining that while letters sent to his father as a teenager came back marked “return to sender”, his sudden fame had caused his father to come looking for him.
In 2001 though, Mathers Jr. wrote a letter to Eminem which was published in News Of The World, claiming that the rapper’s mother had actually kept the father and son duo apart, having left the family while pregnant with the future musician.
“You won’t remember me, though I held you in my arms when you were a baby,” the letter read. “You think I dumped you and your mother and never came looking for you.
“You’re convinced I’m a drunk who never answered any of your letters. Well, I want you to read this and realize you’ve been fed lies all your life.
Love Eminem?
Get the latest Eminem news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
“I want to make it plain that I’m not after any handout. I work hard, I have money. I don’t need or want your money. But the one ambition left in my life is to give you a hug and tell you I’ve always loved you.”
Despite this, Eminem’s relationship towards his father did not improve, with songs like ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ specifically name-checking the elder Mathers and vowing to do better than he did.
Eminem has not responded to the news of his father’s passing, but considering the almost non-existent relationship the pair have had, this should come as no surprise.
Check out ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ by Eminem:
