Although Ronald (Ronnie) was Eminem's uncle, he was only two month older than Em. They grew up like brothers and you can say without overstatement that he was the only relative Em really loved. Ronnie commited suicide in the year 1991 at the age of 19 by shooting his head. The reason is supposed to be his girlfriend at this time. It took a long time for Eminem to cope with the death of Ronnie. The dog tag Eminem is wearing is from Ronnie. His grandmother gave him the tag after the death of his uncle as an remembrance.

Eminem's grandmother in an interview about Ronnie and Eminem:
"I was kind of bitter about him writing about my dead son, because the last five years of my deceased boy, Marshall had not even seen him. Marshall - Eminem - and my son Ronnie were very close. He idolised Ronnie and Ronnie loved him. He never even came to Ronnie's funeral and he has never put the first flower on Ronnie's grave. He doesn't do anything - he won't go near the grave. The chain that Marshall wears around his neck, the dog-tag - that was Ronnie's. I gave him the dog-tag, he makes duplicates, he sells them now, and that really broke my heart because this is something sacred to me that I gave the boy. If my son could speak to you today from the grave he would say, "Marshall stop some of the garbage, make up with your family, life's too short"."