Eminem’s mother Debbie Nelson was carjacked on the street made infamous by the rapper’s movie 8 Mile on Thursday (January 22), according to police. Oak Park Police Lt. John McNeilance revealed that 49-year-old Nelson got carjacked as she was sitting in her late model Honda Accord while pumping gas at a BP gas station located at Eight Mile and Coolidge roads at around 11:30 p.m.
“She relayed to us that she had stopped at the gas station to get gasoline in her car and was in the process of dispensing the gasoline when she sat down in her car because it was very cold here,” Lt. McNeilance said. “At that time she was approached by a lone male who was armed with a silver handgun.”
Lt. McNeilance added that when Nelson did not comply with his demand for her to get out of the car he physically removed her from the vehicle. “He ordered her to get out of the car, and then grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out of the car,” Lt. McNeilance said. “And he at that time entered the car and drove away westbound on Eight Mile Road.”
Police recovered Nelson’s car and arrested 16-year-old Detroit native James Antonio Knott. Knott was charged as an adult with carjacking and armed robbery. Police said Knott remains in custody in lieu of $150,000 cash bond. Lt. McNeilance said it was unlikely that the teen knew Nelson’s identity.
Nelson reportedly tried to contact her son, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, about the incident. Nelson told Detroit’s WXYZ-TV that Eminem “apparently must not be in town.” Nelson’s rocky relationship with her son is discussed at length in several of Eminem’s songs, including “Cleaning Out My Closet.” Nelson previously filed two defamation lawsuits over Eminem’s statements about her to the media. Both suits were settled.
The incident took place on the same street made famous by Eminem’s 2002 movie8 Mile. The rapper won a best original song Oscar for the film’s theme song “Lose Yourself.”
