Nick Cannon Explains His Objection to ‘Co-Parenting’ After 12 Kids with 6 Women

Nick Cannon is coming clean about why he can’t stand the term ‘co-parenting.’

On the most recent episode of his podcast Nick Cannon @ Night, the 44-year-old actor and TV host unloaded on the concept after he was prompted by a listener’s question on X (formerly Twitter.)

It was an unexpected position for Cannon to take, considering that he is the father of 12 children with six different women, though that also means that few people hear the word ‘co-parenting’ more than he does.

‘Curious to hear Nick’s perspective on managing multiple co-parenting relationships while dating,’ read the fan-submitted question. ‘It’s a unique situation that could offer some real insights for blended families.’

Cannon — who was recently roasted for launching a relationship advice podcast due to his numerous children and baby mamas — responded on the podcast by admitting he ‘always kind of had an issue’ with the term ‘co-parenting,’ as he thought simply calling it ‘parenting’ should suffice.

‘When you start throwing labels on things, I think it does more harm than help and can get very dangerous, because then everybody else has a preconceived notion of what you’re doing,’ he continued, via People.

Cannon admitted that he still hasn’t ‘figured it out yet,’ even though he gets plenty of practice with so many children.

‘I haven’t gotten it all the way right,’ he shared. ‘But also to your point, if I just step into every situation with respect and compassion and individuality. That’s the other thing I always do with anyone I’m involved with in my life.’

The Wild ‘N Out host also clarified that, when it comes to the women he has had children with, he doesn’t like to ‘bunch them together.’

‘I really try my hardest not to be like, “Oh yeah, my baby mamas,” you know, unless I’m telling a joke or something like that,’ he explained. 

‘But no one wants to be grouped into anything. Everyone wants to be treated like an individual with respect and compassion,’ he added, before clarifying that he shares his children with six women.

Cannon shares his twins Moroccan and Monroe with his ex-wife, Mariah Carey, and he and Brittany Bell have three children: sons Golden Sagon and Rise Messiah and daughter Powerful Queen. 

Cannon and Abby De La Rosa have three children together, the twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, as well as their daughter Beautiful Zeppelin. 

He and the Selling Sunset star Bre Tiesi have a son, Legendary Love, and he shares his daughter Onyx Ice with LaNisha Cole. 

Cannon also welcomed two children with Alyssa Scott: a daughter name Halo Marie and a son named Zen, who died at just five months old in December 2021 from brain cancer.

The Masked Singer host — who recently admitted that getting a vasectomy would be the ‘responsible thing to do’ — was joined on his latest podcast episode by the comedian and drag queen Flame Monroe, who asked him if all of the women are on good terms with each other.

‘No!’ Cannon shot back. ‘Do you know six women anywhere that get along?’

He opened up about his co-parenting struggles after admitting earlier this year that he might be ready to consider putting a cap on his family after saying for years that he wasn’t ready to stop having children.

During a March episode of his and Courtney Bee’s podcast We Playin’ Spades, the conversation took a surprising turn when the former NFL player Ryan Clark began discussing his vasectomy.

Nick — who recently congratulated Elon Musk on his 13th child — took the opportunity to say that the podcast felt like ‘an intervention.’ 

His co-host Courtney noted that it seemed as if she had heard a lot about Black men getting vasectomies recently, and she wondered if it was a new phenomenon.

Nick had an apparent moment of clarity when he admitted — in a bashful tone — that getting a vasectomy was the ‘responsible thing to do.’ 

However, even if he now acknowledged that it was the smart choice for someone in his position, he remained defiant.

‘I’m just — I’m not done [having children],’ he added.

Fellow guest Channing Crowder also suggested that the physical sensation of orgasm was better without a vasectomy, which Nick also believed, but the procedure doesn’t have any last impact on sensation or pleasure, according to Healthline.

Ryan shared his own story about why he chose to have a vasectomy.

‘I wanted number four,’ he declared. ‘My wife told me she did not want number four.’

The NFL star said he ‘had to respect that,’ adding that his wife told him, ‘I had these babies, so you’re gonna help us stop having these babies.’

‘Wow, that’s an honorable man right here,’ Nick added. 

Later, he was asked if he would have another child with one of the women who had already had his babies.

‘I don’t know. That’s the thing. I leave it to the Lord,’ he replied.

During his appearance on Dr. Laura Berman’s Language Of Love podcast in 2023, Nick previously said he ‘lend[s] that type of stuff to God,’ and called his children ‘miracles.’

Although he stopped short of saying that God had told him to have the children, he did say only He would tell him when it was time to stop having kids. 

Nick previously spoke about the difficulties about spending enough time with all of his children.

In November of last year, he joked that he was a ‘busy man on Thanksgiving.’

In a December 2022 episode of The Checkup With Dr. Agus, he admitted that his ‘biggest guilt’ was not getting to ‘spend enough time with all [his] children.’

‘One, ’cause I’m constantly working, and two, because I’m just spread thin,’ he explained.