Nick Cannon is opening up about the internal struggles he faced during his marriage to global superstar Mariah Carey. The 44-year-old entertainer discussed his existential crisis while married to “the biggest star in the world” in a recent appearance on the “Ray Daniels Presents” podcast.
I tied the knot in my 20s; do you understand? Cannon remembered marrying the world’s biggest star. “My trajectory was here,” he said, gesturing downward, “and then hers—she’s already in a different stratosphere.”
Cannon, who was just 27 years old when he tied the knot with Carey in 2008, admitted that he often found himself questioning his own identity within the relationship. “I would lie up at night thinking, ‘Is this who I am?'” Am I Mariah’s man? Is that the intended course of my life? Cannon confessed. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
The “Wild ‘N Out” star explained that he initially didn’t care what the world thought about his relationship with the legendary songstress. However, he said the “pressure” of trying to figure out his sense of self began to take a toll.
“I didn’t really care what the world thought because perception is what it is,” Cannon said. People are going to love you one day, hate you the next day,” Cannon said. “I could care less about that. … However, I find myself struggling with the question, ‘Who am I?’
Cannon also opened up about the challenges he faced with his masculinity and the power dynamics within their family after he and Carey welcomed their twins, Moroccan and Monroe, in 2011.
“I’m carrying a purse and the diaper bag, and, you know, I’m standing on the corner saying, ‘Wait.'” She’s rocking being the alpha,” Cannon recalled, agreeing with the podcast host’s acknowledgment that Carey “deserves it.”
“I believe she needs a dude like that. I’m just not that dude,” Cannon admitted. Their six-year marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 2016, with Cannon later going on to have 10 more children with various partners.
Despite the challenges, Cannon has maintained a relatively amicable relationship with his ex-wife. In fact, he’s even expressed a desire to reconcile, telling E! News in August 2023 that he would “absolutely” get back together with Carey, joking that it would “be stupid if [he] didn’t.”
However, Carey has made it clear that she has “moved on from [Cannon’s] crazy antics,” as she told People just a few weeks later. Cannon’s candid reflection on his insecurities during his marriage to Carey sheds light on the complexities of being in a relationship with a global superstar. As the “smaller” partner in the fame dynamic, he struggled to find his own sense of identity apart from being “Mariah’s man.”
The actor’s willingness to be vulnerable and open up about these struggles is a refreshing glimpse into the personal challenges that can arise in high-profile celebrity relationships. It serves as a reminder that even the most glamorous partnerships can come with their own unique set of challenges.
As Cannon moves forward, it will be fascinating to see how he continues to navigate the aftermath of his marriage to Carey and the lessons he’s learned about himself and his own identity. Ultimately, his candid reflections offer a relatable perspective on the complexities of love and self-discovery.