Eminem’s grandmother Betty dead at 87 after battle with breast cancer… over a year after rapper’s mom passed

Eminem‘s maternal grandmother Betty has reportedly died at age 87 following a battle with breast cancer.

Sources close to the family have told TMZ that Betty passed due to complications with the disease at her Missouri home on Tuesday.

The rapper, 53, was reportedly not present for her passing.

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Eminem for comment.

In a 2000 interview, Betty described being heartbroken over the road Eminem had gone down and even torched his music as ‘vile’ and ‘disgusting.’

‘Neither his mother Debbie nor I can figure out what happened to this sweet, caring youngster. In just over 12 years he’s gone from telling me “Grandma I love you,” to “Go to hell.” It just breaks my heart,’ she told The Mirror newspaper.

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Eminem’s maternal grandmother Betty has reportedly died at age 87 following a battle with breast cancer; pictured 2002

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 In a 2000 interview, Betty described being heartbroken over the road Eminem had gone down and even torched his music as ‘vile’ and ‘disgusting’; pictured 2024

‘When I hear his vile disgusting lyrics I can’t believe this is my Marshall, the same boy who used to come and sit on my lap,’ she said.

The loss comes over a year after the death of Betty’s daughter and Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson.

She passed following a battle with advanced lung cancer in December 2024, TMZ reported.

Eminem – real name Marshall Mathers – and his mother endured a strained relationship that’s played out in the public eye since the rapper came to fame over 25 years ago, but the duo had made an effort to repair the relationship.

During their rocky relationship, Eminem referred to his mother on the My Name Is track from the 1999 album The Slim Shady LP, which ultimately led to Debbie taking legal action against her son.

In the song, the rapper claimed his mother did ‘more dope than’ he did.

Debbie responded to her son by suing him for $11 million, claiming defamation of character.

The rapper and record producer’s lawyer then released a statement on behalf of his client saying that the lawsuit was as a ‘result of a lifelong strained relationship’ between the pair.

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Betty reportedly passed due to complications with breast cancer at her Missouri home on Tuesday; pictured 2004

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‘In just over 12 years he’s gone from telling me “Grandma I love you,” to “Go to hell.” It just breaks my heart,’ Eminem’s grandmother said of the rapper; pictured 2022

The lawsuit culminated with Debbie receiving $25,000 – most of which went to her lawyer. A judge ruled that Debbie was only entitled to $1,600 of the settlement, ABC News reported in 2001.

In an interview in 2008, Debbie admitted she wanted to put their differences aside.

She told Village Voice: ‘I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids. I won’t give up on anybody.

‘There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It’s like a cashed check. It’s over, it’s done. You need to move on.’

By 2013, Eminem released ‘Headlights’ as an apology to his mom.

He spat: ‘I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt/My mom probably got it the worst.’

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Betty’s death comes over a year after her daughter and Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, passed

Eminem added: ‘And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad/So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet.’

He apologized for the song Cleanin’ Out My Closet, a track where he slammed her.

‘But I’m sorry mama for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet,’ at the time I was angry,’ he raps. ‘That song I no longer pay at shows and I cringe every time it’s on the radio,’ he adds.

During a previous interview on BET, Eminem said of his mother: ‘At the end of the day she’s my mother, and I love her because she’s my mother.

‘Even though we don’t really speak, you know what I mean, she is my mother, I do love her, and I think I got a better understanding of what she was going through or what she may be going through, you know what I mean? Now when I see myself and how I actually became. I think there’s a little compassion factored that goes with that.’

At the time, he said it had been several years since they had last spoken: ‘It’s probably been a couple years. Maybe three even four years.’

The recent passing of Betty Hixson, the maternal grandmother of legendary rapper Eminem (Marshall Mathers III), on March 10, 2026, at the age of 87 has drawn attention from fans and media alike. Reports indicate she died at her home in St. Joseph, Missouri, due to complications from breast cancer. This loss comes roughly a year after the death of her daughter, Debbie Nelson (Eminem’s mother), in December 2024 from advanced lung cancer, adding layers of grief to the Mathers family.

Amid the mourning, social media and online discussions have circulated a viral anecdote about an “unexpected moment” at Betty Hixson’s funeral. The story claims that rapper 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson), a longtime associate and occasional collaborator in the hip-hop world—though more famously linked to Eminem through both rivalry and reconciliation—sent an unusual item as a tribute to pay his respects. Attached to it was a small note with just seven words that reportedly moved everyone in the room to tears.

While the precise details of the item and the exact wording of the note remain unverified in major news outlets (appearing primarily in anecdotal posts, TikTok clips, and unconfirmed shares), the narrative has captured imaginations. It highlights themes of unexpected empathy, reconciliation across past feuds, and the human side of celebrity rivalries. In hip-hop culture, where beefs and bonds often intertwine dramatically, such a gesture—if true—would underscore 50 Cent’s respect for Eminem’s family during a profoundly personal moment.

Betty Hixson was born on August 18, 1938, in Highland, Kansas, to Jessie Mae (Roesch) and William Hixson Jr. She lived a full life, raising a family that included Debbie Nelson and eventually welcoming grandchildren like Marshall Mathers III (Eminem), Nathan Mathers, and others. In later interviews, she spoke warmly of her famous grandson, recalling him as the boy who sat on her lap, expressing both pride and a touch of disbelief at his global success. Eminem has referenced family dynamics—including his grandmother—in lyrics over the years, though often amid complex emotions tied to his upbringing.

The funeral itself, held in the quiet of St. Joseph, Missouri, was a private affair focused on family remembrance. Obituaries and reports note her survival by 13 grandchildren (including Eminem as her first), numerous great-grandchildren, and extended relatives. No public statements from Eminem or 50 Cent have confirmed the tribute story directly, suggesting it may stem from insider accounts or embellished fan lore circulating online shortly after her passing.

This tale, whether literal or symbolic, resonates because it humanizes larger-than-life figures. Hip-hop history is filled with public clashes—Eminem and 50 Cent had their share of tension in the 2000s, tied to label affiliations (Shady/Aftermath vs. G-Unit) and competitive bars—yet they’ve shown mutual respect in recent years through collaborations, shout-outs, and shared industry milestones. A gesture at a grandmother’s funeral would represent a quiet bridge over past divides, emphasizing loss, legacy, and unexpected kindness.

In broader context, funerals often reveal such moments: a rival’s wreath, a former enemy’s card, or a simple note that cuts through noise. The reported seven-word note (details unspecified but implied to be poignant, perhaps something like an apology, acknowledgment of shared pain, or tribute to Betty’s influence on Eminem) allegedly evoked tears by capturing raw emotion in brevity. In an era of viral heartbreak stories, this one fits the mold—blending celebrity, family tragedy, and redemption.

Eminem’s career has long drawn from personal pain, including family strife documented in tracks like “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” or “Mockingbird.” Betty Hixson’s role as a stabilizing figure in his early life contrasts with the turbulence he often rapped about. Her passing closes a chapter for the rapper, who has spoken less publicly about family in recent years while focusing on sobriety, fatherhood, and music.

50 Cent, known for sharp business acumen and social media presence, has occasionally referenced Eminem positively in interviews, crediting him as influential. If he did send a tribute, it aligns with his pattern of navigating rivalries with calculated grace when it matters most.

Ultimately, the “unexpected moment” story—viral yet unsubstantiated in full—serves as a reminder that behind the beats and bravado, grief unites even the most storied adversaries. In a room filled with family honoring Betty Hixson’s 87 years, a simple gesture and seven words could indeed bring tears, proving that respect and humanity endure beyond headlines.