Nick Cannon just might be the busiest man in Hollywood. He’s a TV and podcast host, radio personality, comedian, rapper and actor. He’s also a dad of 12 with six different women. “It’s challenging,” Cannon, 45, tells Us of his hectic schedule, which also includes exercising twice a day to manage his lupus, the autoimmune disease he was diagnosed with in 2012. “I’m in Alabama doing a promo run for Wild ’N Out, and last night I was at a parent-teacher conference for my son and my daughter, which was happening at the exact same time. And I had just come from guitar lessons with my 4-year-old,” he says. “I don’t know how I do it, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Cannon is currently taking Wild ’N Out back on the road, filming new episodes of the groundbreaking MTV improv series he created in 2005 — which gave an early platform to comedy giants like Kevin Hart and Pete Davidson — at arenas across the country. “There’s nothing like an arena full of people,” he says. “Now it’s like Wild ’N Out versus your city, and every city brings its competitive nature.”
He’s also gearing up for a more intimate project: the winter debut of his Netflix docuseries, which will offer an unprecedented look inside his unconventional family life and relationships with the mothers of his children. Cannon shares twins Moroccan and Monroe, 15, with ex-wife Mariah Carey; sons Golden, 9, and Rise, 4, and daughter Powerful, 5, with Brittany Bell; twin boys Zion and Zillion, 5, and daughter Beautiful, 3, with Abby De La Rosa; son Legendary, 4, with Bre Tiesi; and daughter Onyx, 4, with LaNisha Cole. He also has daughter Halo, 3, and son Zen, who passed away in 2021, with Alyssa Scott.) Is he nervous for it to come out? “Yes,” he admits. “It’s going to be a lot.”
Something tells Us this modern-day Renaissance man can handle it. Here, Cannon gets candid about growing up in Hollywood, whether he’ll ever settle down and the joyful, chaotic balancing act of fatherhood.
Can you believe it’s been 21 years since Wild ’N Out debuted?
It can legally drink.
Tell Us more about the Wild ’N Out: Live Tour ’26.
It’s gonna be all the people you love from the original cast, from DC Young Fly to Justina Valentine. At the same time, I’m super excited [to introduce] new young people coming from all walks [of life] — streamers, content creators, comedians and artists. Wild ’N Out has always gotten credit for discovering young talent in the comedy space, but it’s also been a platform for people like Kanye [West] and Lil Wayne. When the show first dropped in the early 2000s, it was one of the few places where hip-hop artists were able to launch and perform. I’m trying to get back to those roots. My next goal is to find the next music superstar.
A lot of people got their start on the show. How does that feel?
I take no credit for any of their gifts. I just say I was able to create a platform that allowed people to step into the industry and take the reins. I consider Wild ’N Out like the public pool — it’s where everybody learns to swim.
You were 24 when Wild ’N Out started. How much have you changed since then?
I’m the same person. It’s probably sad, but I still have that same 24-year-old optimism and energy. I envy his knees more than anything because I [used to be able to] jump off the stage and run and do all those things. They don’t tell you that when you get to your 40s, your knees give out.
Did you imagine then that the show would still be around today?
I was just trying to give my friends jobs. I was trying to make sure Kevin Hart could pay his rent. I had no idea it would grow to this magnitude. My new goal is to have the brand get into the education space and tap into the public school systems all the way to the collegiate [level], giving people theater programs. I want to give people in the urban community the opportunity to learn improv and staging.
What are some of your most memorable moments from the show?
It’s the people who have blessed the stage. It’s the Snoop Doggs of the world… and then watching young comedians go from fresh new faces to superstars has always been the coolest thing to witness.
Do you feel like anyone went too far?
The Chrissy Teigen episode [season 5, episode 6]. John Legend is a dear friend, and she came on and she was truly wilding out. Karlous Miller might’ve taken it a little too far [Miller joked that Teigen had a camel toe and propositioned her for sex], but it was great content and still one of our classic episodes.
In the era of cancel culture, are there lines you can’t cross now?
I give the same advice [to the younger generation] that I always have: Be fearless. Back then, it was easier because you didn’t have the instant critique with social media. If it hit, it hit. But I think we’re getting back to that energy. If your heart is in the right place, being fearless isn’t a burden. It’s a gift.
Are you scared of being canceled?
I feel like I get canceled like every week. I lean into it. I’m super outspoken. When everybody’s zigging, I’m always zagging, and I’m always playing the angel’s advocate. I want people to speak freely and have discourse. I get canceled, but then [people] forgive me because they know I’m not trying to offend anybody. I’m always gonna ask questions, though.
Why do you think you’ve been able to sustain your success for so long?
Longevity truly is the measurement of success. Today, instant success is prevalent, but there’s nothing like saying, “Hey, I built this over 30 years.” For me, the journey is the exciting part.
You do so much — hosting, acting, music. Do you have a favorite role?
Music will always be my first love. I never really took my music career seriously because I was doing so much other stuff. I love acting, too. That’s probably the most challenging and rewarding thing: to be able to embody someone else. But writing is a part of everything, and God has given me the gift of being a storyteller.
You started in Hollywood as a teen. What was that like?
I was the youngest writer in television history. At 16 or 17, I was so wide-eyed and excited to be on a set. I was doing the audience warm-up and writing scripts and trying to get little parts and cameos. I remember trying to talk to Beyoncé and Kelly [Rowland] when we were all supposed to be doing our schoolwork on set. I loved having the opportunity of being in the entertainment industry. I still approach it that way. When your occupation is to be creative and make people smile, there’s no [better] job. That’s what kept me on the straight and narrow because I never wanted to mess up the opportunity.
Did you feel equipped to navigate fame at that age?
I was equipped for anything. You could throw anything at me. When you’re on your own as a teenager, you gotta be able to handle whatever comes with it.
Were there things that seemed normal to you then that seem less so when you look back now?
I was a teenager in comedy clubs hanging out with Dave Chappelle, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Griffin and Chris Tucker — they looked out for me. There were times where I would go back to school and be like, “I was at Jamie Foxx’s house last night.” My friends were like, “Yeah, right.” Nobody believed me. It’s cool to look back on those times. I had the greatest entertainment upbringing. I’ve had nothing but good experiences.
Can you imagine your 15-year-old twins doing what you were doing?
Absolutely not. I couldn’t imagine them out on their own. But they’re both very insulated and they have their friend group. I’m grateful they don’t want to be outside like I was.
Who else looked out for you?
My parents always had my back, and my grandparents were the people that kept me sound. I did the whole grind of sleeping in your car, and luckily one of my best friends, Kenan Thompson, let me bunk with him. Once I started making money, we got a house in the Hollywood Hills.
You were roommates?
We had a blast. We could write movies about the parties and the craziness of us taking over Sunset [Boulevard] in Hollywood from our teens into our early 20s. At the same time, guys like Jamie and Will Smith looked out for me, not only [with] advice and wisdom but also with real opportunities that propelled my career in a big way. I’m forever in debt to those brothers.
Did you witness any crazy celebrity behavior?
I never saw weird stuff. I think God protected me more than anything.
Some of your peers had a different experience.
Maybe everybody kept me protected from that stuff. I also had the discernment and foresight not to stay at parties too long. I don’t drink, and I don’t do drugs. I know how to have a good time, but I never got caught up in the dark side of things. I was aware of it, but I never really had to deal with it.
Your All That costar Amanda Bynes has struggled publicly. What do you remember about working with her?
[She is] truly phenomenally gifted and ubertalented. Artists are gentle souls, and they’re sensitive in many different ways. Young people have so much we need to protect so they’re able to flourish and share their gifts with the world. We want to handle [them]
very delicately.
Have you had to reassess any of your relationships based on scandals that have played out in public?
I stand by everybody who’s ever been good to me. But when you start to hear about individuals living completely different lives, it’s like, “Man, that just happened right under the entire industry’s nose.”
Like the infamous freak-offs?
I leave all parties by 11 p.m., 12. If I’m DJing, as soon as it’s time to cut the music off, I’m out.
Did hearing about those make you rethink certain scenarios?
It was none of my business. I tell everybody I’m minding my Black-owned business. That’s all.
It sounds like you try not to judge others.
We have to give people grace. None of us are perfect. There are a lot of sick people who are in an ill space, and the way to fix illness is to take out the “I” and put in the “we,” so it becomes wellness. We have to be supportive of one another, especially in this industry, because it can take you to spaces you’ve never been before, to where you don’t know how to handle it. You have money you never thought you’d make, you have influence you never thought you’d have… You have to surround yourself with good people. And when you do see people fall, be there to help them up. I can never throw any human being away. I don’t have that right. I leave the judgment to God.
These days you’re looking out for more than just yourself. Did you ever imagine you’d have 12 children?
People have been digging in the archives to hear my interviews from, like, 20 years ago, and I did. I was like, “Yo, I want 12 kids.” I spoke it into existence. I come from a big, nontraditional, unorthodox family. My parents were teenagers when they had me, so my grandparents had a lot of influence on me. My grandmother was a foster mother, so I had hundreds of foster brothers and sisters growing up and learned how to take care of babies. It was always in me. I’m also a big kid at heart. It’s definitely part of my destiny.
Is there room for more?
Usually when women ask me that, they’re soliciting. [Laughs.] Right now, 12 is good. I’m in the car line every day, and there’s basketball, karate, jujitsu, tap, piano, guitar… We come from a different generation; we were latchkey kids, and we had to take care of ourselves. I don’t remember my dad or mom being at my recitals. My mom was working three jobs and my dad lived across the country. So I take that stuff very seriously.
Have any of the kids ever expressed wanting more time with you?
I don’t care if you have one kid or 100 kids, they’re always gonna desire more time, and you’re always going to want to give more time. I feel that guilt daily. I always want to say yes, but things get in the way. My kids know I love them unconditionally, and they know that Dad’s not perfect by any means, but he’s trying his best.
There’s never a dull moment for you.
Every day it’s something. My son got a Q-tip stuck in his ear the other night, so I was in urgent care. Then somebody [else is] being bullied at school.
What’s your dynamic like with their moms? Is there a group chat?
We have to operate as a unit, but it’s definitely compartmentalized. Every mother parents differently. I’m nonconfrontational, which isn’t always a good thing. I’m learning. I don’t take anything seriously, so I’m either cracking a joke or just being like, “It is what it is.” It allows me to keep the stress down.
How do you refer to the moms?
I stopped trying to use the word “baby mama” because sometimes people can take that [as something] offensive. So I got a new term called M.O.M.C., for the mother of my children. I love it. It sounds like you’re about to drop an album: “It’s me and my M.O.M.C.”
You’ve described your relationships as consensual non-monogamy. What does that mean to you?
That’s why I’m so excited about [the documentary] because I’ll finally be able to explain it in a way that isn’t a sound bite. I was married for seven-plus years, and my wife was the only person I was monogamous with because I didn’t want to f**k it up. I was like, “This is Mariah Carey. I’m not messing this up!” But I have an abundance of love, and I want to be the best provider and partner. I have the means to — not even speaking financially — be a helpmate to people and I think that’s the root of it.
Interesting…
You’ll see in the doc I sit with my therapist and talk about, “Why am I this way? Everybody says I’m weird.” I want to break it down and understand why. We get to the root of it.
Is there jealousy among the moms?
I wouldn’t say jealousy. Everybody advocates for themselves in their household and for their children. One of the toughest challenges is you want to give everybody your all, but as the famous quote goes, “You can’t please all the people all the time.” I’m learning that balance. I have 12 kids — everybody’s not going to be happy with me and I’m pretty sure we’ll hear everything they have to say when they become adults. But at this point, I’m doing the best I can, and everybody has an individual connection with Dad.
You seem closest to Bre Tiesi. Are you guys together?
I’m gonna take this opportunity to clear this up because I get in trouble a lot. The person who understands me the most would be Bre. We call each other twin flames because she accepts all of my s**t, and I accept [her]. There’s a sense of understanding I don’t have with anybody else. She’s super protective of me. You can’t buy that type of loyalty. She believes I should have a hierarchy system. As much as I say I don’t have a favorite, she definitely holds a special place in my heart.
Would you get married again?
I don’t like the government in my love life. I think the institution of marriage should be respected, but I can’t see myself going through the legal paperwork again.
Are you in touch with Mariah?
We talk almost every day or every other day, specifically just about the kids. We were laughing about [reports we’re not close]. I was like, “Who is telling people that?” On the flip side, I’ve heard we’re getting back together. I’ll deliver the truth with the doc. I’m always open [to that]. Our divorce wasn’t messy. We were able to move on and be the best parents we can.
We’re glad to hear that!
I always say Mariah Carey was my greatest friend and my greatest teacher. What I learned most from her is how to hold on to what’s true and create your own spaces, without letting outside energy infiltrate. I’ve never seen somebody operate on their own frequency, and it’s always so positive. And you know all that she’s been through in her life. I think that’s what keeps her going — her faith and her ability to block out negative energy. You feel like you know her, but she keeps all the things that are meaningful to her to herself.
Have the twins expressed an interest in showbiz?
Absolutely! It’s in their blood. But it has to be done from the space of love. My daughter wants to go to NYU or Pepperdine for their theater program. I’m like, “Find the love of it first.” Do as many school plays and recitals as you want, and then you cultivate it. [They] have to have fun. It’s not a job; it’s a hobby.
December will mark the fifth anniversary of your son Zen’s passing. [Zen died at 5 months old from a rare form of brain cancer.] How do you and his mom, Alyssa Scott, honor him?
We created a foundation called Zen’s Light, and around his birthday on June 23, we have a celebration of light. That’s usually where I put all my energy but Alyssa, being as strong as she is, has [shown me] we can celebrate his life even on the day of his passing. It was always difficult for me. I’m a detachment-avoidant type, and I don’t like dealing with tough stuff head-on. We try to make it a time when we say, “We’re going to step away, unplug and focus on one another and honoring Zen.”
You were diagnosed with lupus in 2012. How’s your health these days?
When I got diagnosed… [it felt] so life-altering. Now, it becomes like, “So what?” It’s a part of my life. It keeps me in check. I have to eat correctly, get rest and exercise twice a day. It was a blessing in disguise. Other 45-year-olds aren’t up at 4 a.m. to go to the gym. I work out to stay alive. It’s a challenge, but I’m built for it.
Do you ever see yourself slowing down?
Back in the day, it felt like you were an adult at 45 or even 35 — like you had to stop having fun. But I’m still running around with ADHD, being whimsical and silly, so I’m waiting for adulthood to kick in. Maybe [it will when I’m] 50. There’s still so much opportunity out there, and you gotta keep riding until the wheels fall off. To be forever young, that’s the key. That’s what life’s all about.
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