Eminem has built a career on emotional transparency and lyrical intensity, but there’s one track he wishes he could take back — even as his story now intersects with personal healing, chronic stress recovery, and the emotional toll associated with family trauma, which mental health professionals often cite in wellness management plans.
The rap legend started from humble beginnings in Detroit, working his way up through rap battles and underground mixtapes before breaking out with his 1996 debut Infinite. It wasn’t until The Slim Shady LP dropped in 1999 — earning him a Grammy and going quadruple platinum — that he exploded onto the global stage, eventually becoming one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 220 million records sold worldwide.
However, the 52-year-old rap icon — known for hits like Lose Yourself and Stan — now disavows one of his earlier songs, Cleanin’ Out My Closet, for its searing attack on his mother, Debbie Mathers. The emotional fallout from this track echoes what many psychologists and family therapists refer to as unresolved trauma, often linked to higher mental healthcare costs and long-term therapy needs, including diagnostic services and psychiatric evaluations.
The Controversial Classic: “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”
Released in 2002 on his album Without Me, Cleanin’ Out My Closet delves into Eminem’s tumultuous and often strained relationship with his mother, Debbie
