(whitneyscott8 / Instagram, Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com)
From the day he introduced the world to Slim Shady, Eminem has made no secret of his family’s crazy dynamics. The legendary rapper has famously used his lyrics to take shots at ex-wife Kim and mother Debbie. Eminem’s daughter Hailie is also a muse, bringing out his softer side and showing up in countless songs throughout his career.
But did you know that he actually has three girls? While Hailie is his only biological child, Em has also had a hand in raising two adopted daughters. Here’s what we know about his 18-year-old, Whitney Scott Mathers.
Who Is Whitney Scott Mathers?
Whitney Scott Mathers, born April 16, 2002, is the biological daughter of Kimberly Ann Scott. She was conceived shortly after Scott’s first divorce from Eminem and was raised in his Michigan household alongside sisters Hailie and Alaina (Em’s niece, whom he also adopted).
In October 2017, Whitney announced to her 40,000-plus Instagram followers that she is bisexual. Her bio requests that she be referred to by the pronouns she/they.
“Happy national coming out day!” she captioned in a photo of Harry Styles. “I am bisexual???? I would like to say you’re perfect the way you are and that love is love!?????????? be yourself!”
Whitney keeps a pared-down Instagram (there are currently 24 public photos), but she uses her account to bring attention to social justice issues. In addition to Blackout Tuesday and Justice for Breonna Taylor posts, she promotes a link that allows followers to donate and sign petitions on behalf of various BLM and LGBTQ+ causes.
Why Did Eminem Adopt Whitney Scott Mathers?
Whitney was adopted by Eminem in 2005. Her biological father, Eric Hartter, suffered from a history of drug addiction and legal troubles. (He died of a suspected overdose in 2019.) Although Eminem was reportedly (and understandably) furious that his ex-wife became pregnant with another man’s child after their split, he wanted to provide Whitney a stable environment in which to grow up.
Eminem remarried Kim in 2006, but he filed for divorce again in the same year. Kim also struggled with substance abuse issues, and in a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone, the rapper provides insight as to how he may have explained these traumatic incidents to Whitney.
“You can never let a child feel like it’s her fault for what’s goin’ on,” said Em. “You just gotta let her know: ‘Mom has a problem, she’s sick, and it’s not because she doesn’t love you. She loves you, but she’s sick right now, and until she gets better, you’ve got Daddy. And I’m here.'”
Whitney’s Relationship With Eminem
Eminem has spent most of his career shielding his children from the spotlight. He has rarely commented on Whitney, except in one instance where he reportedly said, “I’m in love with that girl, man. She’s so sweet and funny.”
Eminem also makes a rare mention of all three daughters on the track “Going Through Changes” from his 2010 album Recovery. “Hailey this one is for you, Whitney and Alaina too / I still love your mother, that’ll never change / Think about her every day, we just could never get it together hey,” he raps.
All signs point to Em being a great father. Despite growing up without a dad himself, he’s let his intuition guide him on what is and isn’t important for a child’s upbringing.
“I can’t just buy them things,” he told Rolling Stone. “I have to be there. That’s a cop-out if I just popped up once in a while…”
“Bein’ a dad is definitely living a double life,” he adds. “Takin’ the kids to school, pickin’ ’em up, teachin’ ’em rules. I’m not sayin’ I’m the perfect father, but the most important thing is to be there for my kids and raise them the right way.”
Whitney is 18 but there’s no word on her plans in regard to school or career. Perhaps she will follow in her big sister’s footsteps and try her hand as an influencer? She certainly has a sizeable following and appears to have a good head on her shoulders. Whatever she decides to pursue, we can presume that Eminem will be the kind of supportive father she deserves.