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Eminem no longer performs one of his most famous songs and apologised for writing it

Home> Entertainment> Music

Updated 13:59 31 Jan 2024 GMTPublished 13:37 30 Jan 2024 GMT

Eminem no longer performs one of his most famous songs and apologised for writing it

Slim Shady hasn't got any more time for the 2002 hit

Tom Earnshaw

Tom Earnshaw

He's a household face and name with an iconic voice that everyone instantly recognises.

Established as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Eminem has already gone down in history for causing a music revolution in the rap scene - but it turns out there's one song he'll no longer perform after apologising for writing it.

Real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, he spent the 1990s breaking down racial barriers in the United States' popular music scene by being a then-rare white face at the forefront of the rap industry.

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As for the work, eclectic is the word best to describe the anthems Eminem has put together.

Whether that's comedy hip hop in 'Without Me' or the horrorcore anthem 'Stan', he has and continues to transcend the music scene with songs that sound as fresh today as they did 20 years ago.

But there's one of his most notorious songs, from 22 years ago, that Mathers won't touch again.

There's one song that Eminem won't perform anymore.
Kevin Sabitus / Getty

He refuses to play it live and once said he cringes if he hears it played on the radio.

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Of course, Eminem is known for lyrically sticking the knife in if he doesn't like you all too much.

Musicians such as Mariah Carey and Machine Gun Kelly, as well as his former partner Kim Scott, have had an earful in his lyrics over the years.

But one of his most sinister songs is aimed at his mother Debbie Nelson in the 2002 track 'Cleanin' Out My Closet'.

The second single from 2002 album The Eminem Show has lyrics that are pretty dark.

He calls his own mum a 'selfish b***h' who he hopes will 'burn in hell', and vows that she will never get to see his daughter Hailie.

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Here it for yourself, but a warning - it has strong language:

Some of the song's lyrics include: "My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't, 'til I grew up, now I blew up it makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it?

"Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me, ma? So you could try to justify the way you treated me, ma?

"But guess what? You're getting older now and it's cold when you're lonely and Nathan's growing up so quick he's gonna know that you're phony.

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"And Haile's getting so big now, you should see her, she's beautiful. But you'll never see her, she won't even be at your funeral."

Mathers blames his mum for a lot of the problems he had in his childhood that he then took into his older years.

But an apology of sorts did come from the rapper in 2014 through song 'Headlights'.

The rapper somewhat apologised for the lyrics in 'Cleanin' Out My Closet' in his 2014 song 'Headlights'.
Jeff Kravitz / Getty

His apology begins: “My mom probably got it the worst. The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far?

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“’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.

"But I’m sorry mama for ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet,’ at the time I was angry.

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“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."

Debbie sued her son for $10 million in 1999 before settling for a $25,000 sum two years later.

'Headlights' saw Eminem speak about a number of alleged incidents from his life with his mum, which included getting kicked out of the house on Christmas Eve, fighting, and his younger brother Nathan being sent to foster care.

The rapper's mum took him to court following the release of 'Cleanin' Out My Closet'.
Gary Miller/FilmMagic/Getty

Despite their relationship remaining estranged to this day, his words offered a chance to make amends, as he rapped about hating their ‘dysfunctional relationship’.

He continues: “But ma, I forgive you, so does Nathan yo. All you did, all you said, you did your best to raise us both.

“Foster care, that cross you bare, few may be as heavy as yours. But I love you Debbie Mathers, oh what a tangled web we have.”

Rounding off his heartfelt apology, Eminem raps: “And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad."

Featured Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage / YouTube/Eminem

Topics: Music, Eminem, US News

Tom Earnshaw
Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible Group in 2024, currently working as SEO Lead across all brands including LADbible, UNILAD, SPORTbible, Tyla, UNILAD Tech, and GAMINGbible. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

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@TREarnshaw

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