The mother of rapper Eminem was named in an Oakland Circuit Court lawsuit Monday by a man who claims he helped put her "tell-all" book project together and then was cut out of the deal.
Debbie Nelson, who has been involved in her own share of lawsuits against her famous son, Marshall Mathers II, is named in a breach of contract lawsuit by Neal Alpert of Birmingham and Rachel Erin Corporation, claiming she is still under contract with him as her manager and agent. The lawsuit alleges Nelson, co-author Annette Witheridge, and publisher Watson, Little, Ltd. put Nelson's book My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the Record Straight on My Life as Eminem's Mother together behind his back while she was under contract with him.
"As her agent, he was entitled to a percentage of profits but hasn't seen a dime," said Drew Norton, Alpert's attorney.
Nelson of Detroit could not be reached for comment Monday.
The lawsuit alleges on Nov. 15, 2005, Alpert and Nelson entered into a contract in which he would be her exclusive agent in book, TV, radio and motion picture projects and in return receive 25 percent of the gross profits from such projects. The lawsuit alleges Alpert "came up with the idea of Nelson writing a book about being the mother of Eminem."
On July 6, 2006, Erin and Witheridge entered into a contract that said Watson, Little would act as Nelson's author agent and commissions due Nelson would be paid to Erin, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, the book, initially released in Great Britain in September 2007, has sold more than 100,000 copies. But neither Erin nor Alpert has received any commissions.
Nelson, who raised Mathers as single parent, has been portrayed by her son in recordings and in the movie "8 Mile" (played by actress Kim Basinger) as a substance abuser who lived off welfare and her boyfriends. She filed and later dropped a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit against Mathers in exchange for $25,000 -- most of which was later used to cover her ex-husband's legal costs in a criminal matter.
In her book, which was to hit U.S. bookstores this week, Nelson debunks much of the myth the rapper created about his tough upbringing to impress others. She has described the world-famous rapper as a very creative but basically shy child and teenager who later became verbally and physically abusive to her.
The lawsuit has been assigned to Oakland Circuit Judge Daniel O'Brien.
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