Nick Cannon is getting ready for the holiday season.
During an appearance at the Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday 25 November, Cannon opened up about how the event was the last bit of time he’d have to himself before needing to dedicate as much time as possible to Christmas festivities with his 11 children.
“Saint Nick will be in every chimney I could possibly be in,” he said during an interview with ET, adding that the holiday season is his “favourite time of year”. “It’s all about the kids so, you’ll definitely see us doing some fun, over the top stuff in the next 30 days,” he added.
The 42-year-old TV personality first became a dad in 2011, when he welcomed twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey. Since then, Cannon has gone on to welcome 10 more children with six women.
He is also a father to sons Golden Sagon, six, and Rise Messiah Cannon, six months, and daughter Powerful Queen, two, with Brittany Bell.
He also shares twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, 21 months, and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin, four months, with Abby De La Rosa.
Cannon has a son, Legendary Love, eight months, with Bre Tiesi, and a five-month-old daughter, Onyx Ice Cole, with LaNisha Cole.
He’s also father to two children with Alyssa Scott, son Zen, who died at five months old in December 2021 after being diagnosed with brain cancer, and daughter Halo Marie, born in December 2022.
The Wild ‘n Out host has spoken often about the joys of having a big family, while admitting it comes with its challenges too. He told People back in April that his “goal in life” is to provide for his children.
“I understand that my lifestyle isn’t typical to society and can be viewed as unorthodox in some ways. But my goal in life is just to love my kids and be there for my kids and provide for them,” he said. “Like I always say, I just love with abundance.”
Despite wanting to provide for his children, Cannon has admitted that he does struggle with time management and being able to spend time with all of them. “Being a father of multiple kids, it’s always the biggest guilt on me is that I don’t get to spend enough time with all my children,” he said on The Checkup With Dr David Agus in December 2022.
“One, because I’m constantly working, and two, because I’m just spread thin,” he said.
Cannon previously addressed his extensive family on Dr Laura Berman’s The Language of Love podcast, where he revealed that he had long envisioned having a large family. He told Dr Berman: “I heard that like, Yo, you’re gonna be a father of many. There’s gonna be your great influence, your lineage, your offspring are gonna do great things. I had the vision that my name will be great as, like, the Rockefeller name.”
He added that he wasn’t opposed to having more children, adding: “The more the merrier!”
“Only God can let me know when I’m done,” he elaborated. “As much as I was open to every single child that I have, I can’t say the majority of them were planned.”
The actor also said he is still amazed that he was able to have as many children as he has in the first place: “If you would have told me in 2012 when I was still married and just diagnosed with Lupus that 10 years from now... that I would have 12 children, I would be like f**k out of here!”
