NEED TO KNOW
Nick Cannon is a father to 12 children from six different women
He welcomed 5 of his children in 2022
The multi-hyphenate discussed how that happened in a new interview
Nick Cannon understands the scrutiny that comes with being a father to 12 children from six different women.
In a recent interview with Vulture, the multi-hyphenate, 44, candidly addressed the perceived misconceptions that he has faced throughout his fatherhood journey.
He said contrary to popular belief, he is not trying to be like Elon Musk and have 14 children. Cannon credits his large blended family as a “by-product of his eagerness to appease the women he was dating or his single friends who wanted kids.”
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Nick Cannon speaks during the 2024 Black Enterprise Disruptor Summit at Southern Exchange Ballrooms on May 17, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia
The We Playin’ Spades podcast host, however, admitted that it wasn’t all that simple.
“It was also a little bit of, like, Okay, God, how did I have five kids in one year? Probably careless activity,” he confessed.
Cannon welcomed 5 of his 12 kids in 2022. He welcomed his son, Legendary Love, with Bre Tiesi in July 2022. His daughter, Onyx Ice Cole, whom he shares with LaNisha Cole, was born in September 2022.
Son Rise Messiah, whom he shares with Brittany Bell, was also born in September 2022. Cannon and Bell are also parents to their son, Golden Sagon, who was born in February 2017, and their daughter, Powerful Queen, who was born in December 2020.
Beautiful Zeppelin, which Cannon shares with Abby De La Rosa, was born in November 2022. De la Rosa and Cannon are also parents to twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, who they welcomed in June 2021.
Halo Marie, whom Cannon shares with Alyssa Scott, was born in December 2022. Scott and Cannon also welcomed son Zen together, who died at five months old in December 2021 after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Cannon shares twins Moroccan and Monroe, 14, with ex-wife Mariah Carey.
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Nick Cannon speaks onstage during WayMaker Men’s Summit Presented by BET on June 06, 2025 in Los Angeles, California
While the Wild N’ Out creator admitted that he is not planning any more kids at the moment, he said: “The world is a crazy place. I never say ‘never’ “
Speaking to PEOPLE in March, Cannon shared similar sentiments, expressing that while he won’t be welcoming little ones anytime soon, he’s not against expanding his family “three years from now [or] five years from now.”
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“There was a point in time where I was just like, ‘Nah, I’m done,'” said Cannon. “And, then I was like, ‘Who am I to say that?’ It seemed like it was such an emphatic thing. I never imagined that I would have 12 kids. So, it’s one of those things where I love children. I love my life, and if it could keep going in the direction that it’s going, why not?”
Read the original article on People