Eminem Apologizes To Mother In New Video

There’s no denying that there are those days when we just don’t get along with our parents, whether it’s over grades, finding a job or something as small as taking out the trash. Yet after all the shouting matches and crying that might occur with some families, everyone makes up in the end. For years, however, a box of Kleenex and a hug didn’t seem likely to mend the strained relationship between rapper Eminem and his mother, Debbie Mathers. Eminem has always publicly condemned his mother since the beginning of his music career and yet it seems like he recently had a change of heart. The official music video for Eminem’s song Headlights, debuted this Mother’s Day , as what appears to be a huge “I’m sorry” from the rapper.

The video, which was directed by Spike Lee, and features singer from Fun, Nate Ruess, is by far the most heartfelt thing Eminem has ever created for his mother. In fact, after some of Eminem’s past songs like Cleanin’ Out My Closet, included lyrics like “just try to envision witnessing your momma popping prescription pills in the kitchen bitching that someone’s always going through her purse and shit’s missing,” and “how dare you try to take you didn’t help me to get. You selfish b**** I hope you f****** burn in hell for this shit,” this is definitely an overdue apology.

The entirety of the music video shows us the world through Mathers’ perspective, revealing to us (what may be fictional or non-fictional accounts) her attempts to connect with her son on a regular basis. We’re taken through her life, which seems quite lonely, as Mathers watches her son’s music videos, writes letters to him and even attempts to visit him at his mansion where she is repeatedly turned away. Eminem raps, “I went in headfirst never thinking about who what I said hurt, in what verse. My mom probably got it the worst. The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are did I take it too far?”

Through the video, Eminem raps a heartfelt and genuine apology for keeping her out of his life, her grand children’s life, and for creating a negative image of her in the media. “And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my Mom and my Dad,” he raps. “So, Mom, please accept this as a tribute; I wrote this on the jet. I guess I had to get this off my chest.”

As the woman who plays Mathers in this video makes once last attempt to visit Eminem at his house, she is once again turned away when Eminem himself pulls out into his driveway. We see Mathers’ character and Eminem get out of their cars and embrace before they part separate ways once again. Tear jerking? Absolutely.

Though it’s unlikely that this 4-minute video will mend things completely between the mother and son, my heart truly goes out to the pair. This seems like a step in the right direction for them, but who knows whether or not Eminem will actually try to bring his mother back into his life. Yet this video just further displays how important family is, and that we should never take our parents for granted.