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We have sad news to report from the music world today.
Betty Hickson, grandmother of hip-hop legend Eminem, has died.
She was 87 years old.
News of Betty’s death comes thanks to a report from TMZ, which reveals that she died at her home in Missouri due to complications from breast cancer.
A source tells the site that Em was not present at the time of his grandmother’s death.
The relationship between Petty and Eminem – whose real name is Marshall Mathers – was very tense.
As fans know, Marshall routinely criticized his mother — and Betty’s daughter — Debbie Nelson in his lyrics.
Betty routinely announced that she was part of Debbie’s team in this conflict.
“Neither I nor his mother Debbie can know what happened to this beautiful, caring young man. In just over 12 years, he went from telling me ‘Grandma I love you’ to ‘Go to hell.’ It breaks my heart,” she said in a 2000 interview with the newspaper. mirror (via TMZ), adding:
“I can’t believe this is my Marshall, the same boy who used to come and sit on my lap.”
Debbie died in 2024 due to complications from lung cancer.
While she and Marshall had patched things up in recent years, there was no sign of him returning to Betty again.
It’s not clear, for example, whether Marshall footed the bill for Betty’s medical treatment during her battle with cancer, as he reportedly did with Debbie.
Whatever the case, Eminem has transformed from edgy provocateur to wholesome family man in recent years.
His daughter Hayley Jade Mathers welcomed her first child last year, making her a grandfather.
Marshall ended his tumultuous relationship with Hayley’s mother several years ago, but the two are said to be on good terms these days.
Insiders say that Eminem is currently dating Katerina Maluta, who worked as his fashion designer for several years.
So, while the Mathers family has endured a lot of ups and downs over the years, they seem to be in a pretty good place at the moment.
Our thoughts are with them as they grieve the loss of Betty.
