Photo: David M. Benett/Getty
Marshall Bruce Mathers, Jr., the estranged father of rapperEminem, has died, TMZreports. He was 67.
Eminem, 46, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, had a well-documented, tense history with his father, whom he has said he never met.
Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, wrote in her 2008 memoirMy Son Marshall, My Son Eminemthat she married Bruce when she was just 15 and he was 22, and they welcomed their son two years later.
Eminem and his father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr.Splash News Online
Their marriage soon soured, though, as Bruce allegedly became physically abusive, and they split shortly after Eminem’s birth.
“He never knew his father, and I did all I could to make up for it,” Nelson wrote. “I wanted Marshall to have a relationship with his father… but Bruce didn’t want to know.”
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After his estranged son sky-rocketed to fame, Bruce made attempts to reach out, telling British newspaperThe Mirrorin 2001 that he’d tried to track him down over the years, but his constant moving made it difficult.
“His mum and I split up, and she went her way and I went mine. Debbie and Marshall kept moving, so it was impossible to find him. I tried for years to reach him through his mum’s family, but couldn’t get through,” he told the outlet from his home in San Diego.
“I desperately want to meet my son and tell him I love him. I’m not interested in his money. I just want to talk to him. I want him to know that I’m here for him if he lets me back in his life.”
Eminem, however, was not impressed, tellingThe Mirrorin the same article that he’d frequently write letters to Bruce that were returned unopened.
“My father? I never knew him. I’ve never even seen a picture of him,” he said. “I heard my dad is trying to get in contact with me, but not now. I never got one letter. I never got anything from him and I think he could have at least tried to write. He could have done something – made an effort.”
source: people.com
