The classic track that makes Eminem “cringe every time” he hears it
Throughout his career, Eminem has overstepped the mark on countless occasions and ran the risk with his lyrics of upsetting people. Marshall Mathers uses rapping and the mask of his Slim Shady alter-ego to unload his darkest thoughts, which he tries to keep contained during day-to-day life, but it’s also placed him in hot water.
To a degree, Eminem’s success was built off the back of his ability to whip up controversy and generate headlines, combined with his skills on the mic. Even on his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady, nothing is off limits when it comes to the derogatory language used by his character, which has caused hysteria on social media, and upset marginalised communities.
Eminem has been in the music business for long enough to understand when a certain lyric will trigger an emotion in audiences, for better or worse, and used this as a mechanism within his songs. However, occasionally, Eminem has included lyrics within his songs about a specific person which are too personal and with the benefit of hindsight, were likely better off left unsaid.
An example of this is ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ from his 2002 album, The Eminem Show. On the angry track, Mathers reflects upon his troubled childhood and allowed decades of frustration at his mother, Debbie Mathers, to pour out of him across the rage-fuelled verses.
At one moment on ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’, Eminem references the death of his uncle, Ronnie, who died by suicide in 1991, and claims his mother “wished it was me”. The song is somewhat of a paradox as Eminem apologises profusely for his words and actions toward his mother on the chorus, but attacks her viciously across the verses.
‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ wasn’t the first time that Eminem had rapped scathingly about his mother, and a year before its release, she had sued him for defamation, which put a further strain on their relationship. In the lawsuit, she asked for $10million, but was eventually awarded $25,000 and later claimed in her 2008 memoir, “I did not mean to sue my son for defamation. I just wanted to stop my home being repossessed and clear up the financial problems that had been caused.”
While their relationship remains complicated, Eminem offered an olive branch in 2013 on his track, ‘Headlights’, and apologised for his previous hurtful words, including on Cleanin’ Out My Closet’. He raps at the start of the song: “My mum probably got it the worst, The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far? ‘Cleanin’ 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 mum.”
The track continues: “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.”
Although Eminem purposefully hurt his mother’s feelings on ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’, he needed to get those words out of his system, and his apology a decade later shows that he does care deeply about her despite his previous taunts.