Nick Cannon is reflecting on the choices that led him to father 12 children. During a recent interview on “The Breakfast Club”, the 44-year-old “Masked Singer” host admitted his approach to building a family was “careless” and influenced by unresolved trauma after his 2016 divorce from Mariah Carey.
Cannon said he leaned on his financial security and lifestyle to justify having more children without slowing down to heal. “I was frivolous and careless,” he explained, noting that he adopted a “whatever happens, happens” mindset when it came to fatherhood. Looking back, Cannon said he didn’t plan to have such a large family but acknowledged that unresolved issues fueled some of his decisions. “If I had done the inner work sooner, certain situations might have gone differently,” he said.
Despite those regrets, Cannon stressed that every one of his children was born out of love and meaningful relationships.
A Look at Cannon’s Family Tree
Cannon’s blended family includes 12 children with six women. He shares 13-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with Carey. He also has three children with Brittany Bell (Golden, Powerful and Rise) and three with Abby De La Rosa (Zion, Zillion and Beautiful).
He welcomed son Legendary with Bre Tiesi and daughter Onyx with LaNisha Cole. Cannon and Alyssa Scott share daughter Halo and late son Zen, who tragically died from brain cancer in 2021 at five months old, according to Rolling Stone.
While Cannon once embraced an open-ended approach to having children, he said he is now “pressing hold” on expanding his family further. Still, he admitted he hasn’t ruled out the possibility in the future.
Cannon also shared that raising five daughters has changed his perspective on relationships and dating. “I hope they learn from my mistakes and not date people like their dad,” he said.
Opening Up About Mental Health
Beyond fatherhood, Cannon has been candid about his ongoing work in therapy. In November 2024, he revealed he had been clinically diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, a condition he now manages through treatment and self-awareness. He has also spoken publicly about earlier diagnoses of ADHD and dyslexia.
“I need help. Show me,” he said during an episode of his “Counsel Culture” podcast, adding that he has embraced therapy as a way to heal while setting an example for others.
Cannon admitted that juggling life as a father of 12 makes holidays “very complicated,” often requiring him to travel between multiple homes. Still, he described the experience as rewarding and said he prioritizes creating meaningful memories with each of his children.
Now, Cannon says his perspective has shifted as he reflects on the choices that shaped his family. “Being almost 45 now, I could sit back and like, yeah, if I would have thought the process through a little bit more and took time to actually do the inner work … things might have been a little different in certain scenarios,” he admitted.
