Nick Cannon has earned a fortune during his long and interesting career. First leaping out of our television sets through the Nickelodeon network, during a stint on All That, Cannon went on to find unprecedented success in just about every facet of media. Well, except maybe music. You would be hard-pressed to find a Nick Cannon fan who liked his music - he has no chart-topping hits to speak of - but he does have a plethora of successful shows and movies.
He even has a successful hosting career, most notably on America's Got Talent, not to mention his new radio show over at Power 105 in Los Angeles.
His career as an entertainer is even more impressive when we look back at his early life and upbringing. He might not make a big deal about it whenever he talks about his life story, but Cannon overcame a lot of hardships as a youth. Let's talk about them, along with how his family shaped up over the years.
13 Born In San Diego
On October 8th, in the year 1980, a future star was born in San Diego, California. That star, born to Beth Gardner and James Cannon- would grow up to be ladies' man, Nick Cannon. Raised in the Bay Vista Housing Projects of Lincoln Park, Cannon grew up to succeed in a way that will inspire others from humble backgrounds.
12 Who Raised Him
We brought up where and how he was raised, but who raised him? That duty rested on the co-parenting shoulders of his father and grandmother - not his mother. Cannon has often praised his grandfather as a second father to him. The grandfather in question, James Cannon Sr., passed away four years ago.
11 Why He Became An Entertainer
Nick decided to become an entertainer when he was eight years old. He was inspired after his grandfather gifted him with musical instruments. It looked like Nick was on his way to becoming a musician, but that all changed when he was a teenager, working for his grandfather's public access show. After being invited to perform stand-up one night, he caught the comedy bug and never looked back.
10 What Happened To His Mom?
We brought up both his father and grandfather, but readers may be wondering where his mother's been during all of this. Beth and James separated when Nick was still a child, with his mother moving to North Carolina. Nick stayed in touch with his mom and he hopped back and forth between North Carolina and California to be with both of them, but his parents never reconciled.
9 Joined A Gang
The Bay Vista Housing Projects that Nick Cannon was born into was infiltrated by gangs. Naturally, a young Nick got wrapped up in that gang lifestyle and was consumed by the streets as a teenager. Misguided, he joined a street gang called the Lincoln Park Bloods. Had he kept these gang ties for too long, he would never have accomplished his dreams.
8 Why He Left The Gang
Nick Cannon withstood several hardships while being in a gang. This included being shot at, but that's not why he left. It's because he watched too many of his friends die at the hands of gang violence. He knew the entertainment industry was his way out.
As he explained to Vlad TV: "when one day people are shooting. There’s drive-bys at your school. And you’re going to football games and not really making it home. And the next day you can take a train ride to Los Angeles and don’t have to deal with any of that cause you’re in Hollywood. Yo man, once Nickelodeon called, I locked in. I forgot about all of that stuff.”
7 His Early Education
Despite having a gang life, Nick Cannon did very well in school, particularly high school. While attending Monte Vista High School, he was president of the African Student Coalition. He even had time to do track and field before graduating in 1998. He decided not to go to college, at least, not immediately.
6 Howard Uni Graduate
While Cannon opted out of going to college to pursue an entertainment career, he decided to trail back to education and spent the last few years attending Howard University. This year, he not only graduated with a degree in Criminology, but he served as a guest speaker during Howard University's virtual graduation ceremony.
5 Had Kids With Mariah Carey
Nick Cannon's most high-profile relationship was with the talented singer, Mariah Carey, whom he married. Although their partnership failed to last much longer than six years, they at least have the privilege of being able to bring two children into this world.
4 Another Kid With Brittany Bell
Just for good measure, Nick Cannon decided to add one more child to his family. While his latest offspring was not with Mariah Carey, three-year-old Golden "Sagon" Cannon came from Cannon's relationship with a model, Brittany Bell. This is another relationship that never lasted, but they try to stay civil to co-parent with each other.
3 Why His Brother Went To Jail
Not a lot of people know this, but Nick Cannon actually has a brother. His name is Gabriel, and while he has kept himself busy in recent years, it wasn't in the entertainment industry...it was in jail. He was arrested in 2011, after being suspected of allegedly trying to steal video equipment.
2 Gabriel's Post-Jail Business
Now, Gabriel is out of jail. This year, just a few months ago, he bounced back by becoming the President of Marketing and Endorsements, by Veteran Business Owners and Partners of Send. This company, which has a formal business name, Electronic Business Cards, LLC, is located in his (and his brother's) birthplace of San Diego, California.
1 Gabriel Found God, Makes Gospel
Whereas Nick Cannon eventually dropped his ambitions to be a musician, for the most part, Gabriel Cannon picked them up in his post-jail life, along with an undying passion for God. In more recent years, he has sung Gospel and even released some rap music, where he is preaching the good word to his legion of followers.
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