Eminem’s father Marshall Bruce Mathers has died

Eminem’s biological father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr, has reportedly died at the age of 67.

He was frequently accused of abandoning his son, who he never met, with the rap icon taking aim at his estranged father on some of his biggest hits.

According to TMZ, Mr Mathers died near Fort Wayne, Indiana, with neighbours claiming that he died from a heart attack.

On ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’, Eminem’s 2002 single, the rapper takes direct aim at his father and speaks of his hope that he will not replicate their strained relationship with his own daughter Hailie.

R.I.P. Marshall Bruce MATHERS, Jr. (1951-2019), American construction worker and musician (Daddy Warbucks). Estranged father of Marshall Mathers III, ‘Eminem’. pic.twitter.com/NFRppWPdQe

— In__Memoriam (@In___Memoriam) June 26, 2019

He raps: “My fa***t father must’ve had his panties up in a bunch ‘Cause he split, I wonder if he even kissed me goodbye. No, I don’t, on second thought, I just fuckin’ wished he would die. I look at Hailie, and I couldn’t picture leavin’ her side.”

When asked previously about his father, Eminem claimed that he had attempted to write him letters but they came back to him with a “return to sender” notice.

For his part, Bruce’s only known attempt at contacting his son came in 2001 when he wrote an open letter in which he accused Eminem’s mother Debbie of keeping him away.

“I desperately want to meet my son and tell him that I love him. I’m not interested in his money,” he said.

“I just want to talk to him. I want him to know that I’m here for him if he lets me back into his life.”

He reportedly married Eminem’s mother Debbie when he was 22 and she was 15, with the pair having Eminem a short time after. It’s believed that Bruce eventually moved to California where he had two other children, while Eminem settled in Detroit with his mother.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Eminem’s tapes were not destroyed in a huge fire, as previously believed.