The relationship that developed appears to have been much more than that of two siblings living under the same roof.
Nathan has described Eminem as a major father figure.
In February 2023, Nathan appeared on Just a Little Shady, the podcast hosted by Hailie Jade. During the conversation, he reflected on how his older brother influenced the way he eventually approached fatherhood himself.
"He was the best role model I could have had to help me be the dad that I am today," Nathan said.
Nathan eventually became a father of three himself.
That makes Eminem's influence on him particularly meaningful: the younger brother who once experienced foster care grew up with an older brother who became his guardian and later described that brother as the model for how he wanted to raise his own children.
Hailie: The Daughter Fans Watched Grow Up Through Music
At the center of Eminem's story as a father has always been Hailie Jade.
Unlike many celebrity children who become famous because they appear constantly alongside their parents, Hailie's presence in Eminem's public life was unusual.
Millions of people knew her name long before they knew much about her personally because Eminem repeatedly mentioned her in his music.
His lyrics often presented fatherhood as a source of vulnerability.
The aggressive rapper who seemed fearless in battles could sound deeply anxious when writing about disappointing his daughter, missing time with her or failing to give her the stable childhood he wanted for her.
As she grew older, Hailie built a life increasingly separate from her father's music career.
She attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in psychology.
During his 2020 appearance on Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson, Eminem spoke with unmistakable pride about her academic achievement, mentioning that she had graduated with a 3.9 GPA.
"She's made me proud for sure," he said.
But the conversation soon broadened beyond Hailie.
Eminem mentioned Alaina and his younger daughter as well, and then summarized what fatherhood meant to him.
"When I think about my accomplishments," he said, raising children was probably what made him most proud.
Coming from someone with one of the most decorated careers in hip-hop history, the statement was striking.
Success Measured Differently
Eminem's professional accomplishments are enormous by virtually any conventional measure.
He became one of the defining artists of his generation, won numerous Grammy Awards, received an Academy Award for "Lose Yourself," and sold records on a scale achieved by relatively few musicians.
But those achievements exist in the public world.
Parenthood happened mostly somewhere else.
It happened in homes rather than arenas.
It involved school, relationships, adolescence, family crises and the everyday responsibilities that rarely become headlines.
And Eminem has made clear that success as a parent could not simply be measured by providing money.
During the Tyson interview, he also talked about the importance of keeping children grounded when they grow up surrounded by extraordinary privilege.
That observation reveals another challenge he faced.
Eminem grew up with very little. His children grew up with a father who eventually became extremely wealthy and famous.