Ever since he came on the scene in the late ’90s, Eminem has been revered as a hip-hop god. Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, the Detroit rapper overcame enormous odds to achieve his success. Through sheer work ethic and determination, Em went from waiting tables and living in a trailer park to becoming a best-selling artist and Oscar winner. Even people who aren’t rap aficionados are familiar with Eminem’s work in the 2002 semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile.
For all of the dysfunction that he’s been subject to since childhood, Eminem shows no interest in repeating his history. Beneath the tough-guy public persona is a sensitive and empathetic man. For someone who grew up without a father figure, he’s actually an extraordinary dad himself. Find out more about Eminem’s adopted daughter Alaina Marie Mathers.
Eminem Actually Has Three Daughters
Many fans are familiar with Hailie Jade Mathers. She’s Em’s only biological daughter with ex-wife Kim Scott. She’s also been the subject of countless songs throughout his career. “My baby girl keeps getting older / I watch her grow up with pride / People make jokes, ‘cause they don’t understand me / They just don’t see my real side,” he raps in the 2002 track “Hailie’s Song.”
But what many fans don’t know is that Eminem has two other daughters. In 2005, he adopted Whitney Mathers—Kim’s biological daughter from another relationship. He’s also the father of Alaina Mathers. Let’s find out who she is and how they are connected.
Who Is Alaina Marie Mathers?
Alaina Marie Mathers, 27, was born Amanda Marie Scott on May 3, 1993. Her biological mother is Dawn Scott, the twin sister of Em’s ex-wife Kim. This technically makes her Eminem’s niece.
But unlike her sister Hailie, who is building a career as a social media influencer, Alaina lives a more private life. What we do know is that she attended a private grade school in Michigan, and in 2016, she graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Oakland.
According to her Instagram bio, she’s a body positivity and mental health advocate. Other than that, details are vague. It seems like Alaina prefers the quiet life, and we say more power to her.
Why Did Eminem Adopt Alaina Marie Mathers?
Alaina was adopted by Eminem in the mid-2000s. He chose to take her in to protect her from a harsh environment. Her mother, Dawn Scott, was a drug addict who gave birth to Alaina at 18. She was reportedly so damaged from substance abuse that she was initially unable to identify the father of her own children. She battled her demons until the very end, and in 2016, she was found dead in her trailer of a heroin overdose.
Em understood the challenges of growing up with addicts. He, his mother Debbie, and his ex-wife had all suffered from their own struggles with substance abuse at one point or another. He also had a long history with Alaina’s mom. Both she and her twin sis Kim moved into his house when they were 13 (he was 15 at the time) to escape their own abusive and alcoholic stepfather.
Alaina is also a twin sibling. Unfortunately, her brother Adam was born handicapped, likely as a result of his mother’s issues with substance abuse. He was reportedly raised by his biological father, and the family prefers to maintain a quiet life far from the spotlight.
Alaina’s Relationship With Eminem
Eminem is often pretty private about his personal life, but he has made a point to mention Alaina in some of his lyrics.
“Lainie, uncle’s crazy ain’t he / Yeah, but he loves you girl and you better know it / We’re all we got in this world,” he raps in 2004’s “Mockingbird.”
He also gives her a shout-out in the 2010 track “Going Through Changes,” spitting, “Hailie, this one is for you / Whitney and Alaina too.”
In 2004, Eminem spoke to Rolling Stone about raising Alaina and Hailie. Kim Scott suffered from the same drug addiction problems as her sister, and his approach to parenthood was to make the child understand that they were not at fault for their misfortune.
“My niece has been a part of my life ever since she was born,” explained Eminem. “Me and Kim pretty much had her, she’d live with us wherever we was at.”
“You can never let a child feel like it’s her fault for what’s goin’ on,” he said in regard to Kim’s issues at the time. But his sentiments could have easily applied to Dawn and Alaina as well. “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.'”
Although there’s little word on what Alaina is up to these days, we imagine that Eminem continues to make himself available as a parental figure. Alaina and her fiance proudly cheered on her famous dad during his 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, which suggests they’re just as close as ever.
She’s Engaged!
In December 2021, Scott announced that she and her partner, Matt Moeller, are engaged. The two lovebirds have been together for seven years. In her Instagram post, she shows a stunning emerald-cut diamond in a gold band. Congratulations to these two!
She Started Her Own Book Club
In October 2022, Alaina launched Lanes Book Club. According to the group’s Goodreads profile, she hopes to build a “community propelled by meaningful connections with stories, authors, and fellow members.”
To date, the book selections have included a good mix of romance and thrillers. She definitely has a gripping taste in literature. It looks like a fun project she’s embarked on.