Nick Cannon on NARCISSISM, ADHD & Why Diagnoses Are Just LABELS

Summary

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The Person Who Believed In Me

Episode: Nick Cannon on NARCISSISM, ADHD & Why Diagnoses Are Just LABELS
Host: David Begnaud
Guest: Nick Cannon
Release Date: March 30, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this emotionally rich episode, host David Begnaud sits down with Nick Cannon—producer, comedian, rapper, actor, and media entrepreneur—for an unguarded conversation about discipline, identity, mental health, and the people who shaped him. The central thread is built around the mentor who believed in Nick before the world did: Grandmaster James Wilson, his childhood martial arts instructor. Through deeply personal anecdotes, Nick explores how early lessons in discipline, resilience, and integrity have influenced his public life, his battles with diagnoses such as ADHD and narcissistic personality disorder, his approach to fatherhood, and his relentless drive.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Mentor Who Believed: Grandmaster James Wilson

[03:34 - 16:52]

• Formative Discipline: Nick met Grandmaster Wilson at age 5 when he joined martial arts at his father’s urging. Wilson became a pillar for both the Cannon family and the wider community.
  • “This is Ma James Wilson, my first instructor in the field of martial arts…Just such a great influence to my family…met him when I was five years old.” – Nick Cannon [03:48]
• Larger Than Life Role Model: Wilson represented discipline, integrity, perseverance, and, above all, strength. For young Nick, his presence was nearly mythic.
  • “He was like a superhero to me…He was so strong. And then, to know all the accomplishments, there was like folklore…” – Nick Cannon [15:18]
• Lessons on Integrity: Wilson’s influence extended beyond the studio—he was also a judge, minister, attorney, and preacher, becoming a central problem-solver and moral guide in the community.
  • “All of the things that I attempt to live by to this day…discipline, integrity, perseverance, resilience, strength, you know… probably more than anything is strength.” – Nick Cannon [04:57]
  • “To do the right thing even when no one’s watching. And that just has always sat with me. I pass that on to my kids to this day.” – Nick Cannon [13:56]
• Reflection as Adult: Nick realizes now, looking back, just how profound that belief and example were in his development and what he seeks to foster in his own children.

2. Family, Community, and Growing Up Fast

[16:52 - 22:06]

• Young Parenthood: Nick’s parents were teenagers when he was born. He describes “growing up together” with his father and how evolving perspectives as an adult led to deeper empathy and understanding.
  • “My dad had me when…they were teenagers. I was at my dad’s high school graduation.” – Nick Cannon [18:30]
  • Recognizes the influence and sacrifices of his father, even when physically apart.

3. The Performer’s Origin: Early Creativity and Attention

[22:06 - 26:13]

• Drive for Attention: Nick began doing stand-up at 11 and was always “on,” seeking attention not out of lack, but from natural hyperactivity and love of performance.
  • “I just wanted everybody in our neighborhood to know my name like that.” – Nick Cannon [23:32]
• Supportive Family: His father involved him in community media and encouraged both his comedy and music ambitions, giving him space to express himself.

4. Diagnoses: Labels, Acceptance, and Self-Understanding

[29:02 - 37:18]

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Nick discusses the process of being diagnosed, the stereotypes, and what it means to accept versus be ashamed.
  • “I accepted everything that that test said that I was. …It was the first step of healing for me is it was acceptance…” – Nick Cannon [31:33]
• ADHD as Superpower: Both host and guest reframe ADHD as a creative asset, not a deficit, linking high energy and restlessness to productivity.
  • “With great power comes great responsibility. …ADHD diagnosis and all of that stuff… just love to be on, love to be vibrant and precocious.” – Nick Cannon [26:13], [41:26]
• Depression & Lupus: Nick refuses to let health diagnoses define him. He approaches them as chapters, not his entire story.
  • “Even with my lupus, like…it’s a stage. This is just, I’m, you can say I’m, I’m working through this. I’m dealing with this currently, but it doesn’t define me.” – Nick Cannon [34:03]

5. Dealing With Challenge—Relentless Drive

[35:40 - 39:08]

• Pushing Against Limitations: Nick shares openly about living with lupus, the pain it brings, and his belief that staying active—rather than slowing down—helps him cope.
  • “When I slow down, it hurts more…The thing that makes me feel better is when I get up and go…” – Nick Cannon [35:45]
• Internal Motivation: Cannon says he’s not trying to prove himself to the world, but rather to himself, always seeking new challenges and personal growth.
  • “I’m the kid trying to prove something to himself.” – Nick Cannon [36:53]
  • “One of my therapists called me a machete juggler… it’s like, self challenges.” – Nick Cannon [37:34]

6. Fatherhood: Legacy, Guilt, and Showing Up

[39:08 - 57:09]

• Present Parenting: Cannon is proud to show up for his twelve children and prioritizes being physically, mentally, and emotionally present, despite the demands of his career.
  • “The more I can personally do, it is really the greatest currency that I could ever give my kids.” – Nick Cannon [39:49]
  • “When I am there, I’m present, I’m focused…So then when I miss it, I’m either on the phone or that night, I’m like, how did it go?” – Nick Cannon [55:45]
• On Having a Large Family: He discusses the public’s fascination with his large family, sharing both the pride and daily guilt of not always being able to do more.
  • “Why do you have so many kids? Like I was like, that’s not a…I don’t have an answer for that question.” – Nick Cannon [54:00]
  • “I absolutely deal with guilt daily. I think that’s another driving force.” – Nick Cannon [55:17]
• Legacy Defined: Nick distinguishes between lineage and legacy, seeing his kids as his lineage, but his true legacy as the impact he has on others’ lives.
  • “People think my children are my legacy when I truly believe your children are your lineage. But your legacy is what you do for others, every life you touch.” – Nick Cannon [50:05]

7. Navigating Fame, Creativity, and Controversy

[43:05 - 53:52]

• Cultural Impact: Reflects on creating ‘Wild N Out’ for MTV—one of the first to maintain ownership of his IP, providing a rare platform for Black culture and emerging artists.
  • “I was probably the first…to create their own IP…sold it to MTV…even when MTV goes away, Wild N Out does it.” – Nick Cannon [44:19]
• Dealing with Criticism, Controversy & “Cancel Culture”: Nick welcomes controversy as a challenge, emphasizes sincerity, and isn’t afraid to stand in the fire.
  • “I love standing in the fire. I’m performing it. Standing in the fire while juggling machetes.” – Nick Cannon [53:30]
  • “I’ve been canceled so many times… and made it through and actually come out on the other side even more successful.” – Nick Cannon [52:05]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discipline and legacy:
  “Your legacy is what you do for others every life you touch.”
  – Nick Cannon [50:05]

• On acceptance of diagnosis:
  “It was the first step of healing for me is it was acceptance because I accepted everything that that test said that I was.”
  – Nick Cannon [31:33]

• On the impact of his mentor:
  “To do the right thing even when no one’s watching. And that just has always sat with me.”
  – Nick Cannon [13:56]

• On his driving force:
  “I constantly have to prove something to myself.”
  – Nick Cannon [36:53]

• On presence as a parent:
  “The more I can personally do, it is really the greatest currency that I could ever give my kids.”
  – Nick Cannon [39:49]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:34] Introduction of Grandmaster Wilson
• [13:56] Lessons about integrity and discipline
• [26:13] ADHD as both diagnosis and superpower
• [31:33] Accepting the label of narcissism
• [34:03] Treating depression and lupus as chapters, not definitions
• [35:45] Why Nick keeps moving, even through health challenges
• [39:49] Hands-on parenting and time with his children
• [50:05] Redefining legacy: the impact on others
• [52:05] On being “canceled” and coming back stronger
• [54:00] On having a big family and managing guilt as a parent

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Tone & Style

The interview is warm, vulnerable, often humorous, and deeply reflective. Nick Cannon is self-aware, insightful, and unguarded—sharing both humility and confidence. David Begnaud, as host, is empathetic, curious, and skillfully facilitates the emotional depth of the conversation.

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Final Reflections

David closes the episode by emphasizing the power of connection in struggle, not just in success—a theme echoed by Nick, who repeatedly credits his resilience and perspective to early mentors, supportive family, and relentless self-inquiry. The conversation stands as a testimony to how unseen acts of belief and everyday discipline shape the public faces we come to know.

"I'm Nick Cannon, and the person who believed in me was Grandmaster Wilson."
— Nick Cannon [60:07]

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Transcript

[Nick Cannon]

I've been diagnosed with a lot of things. Adhd, narcissistic personality disorder, lupus nephritis.

[David Begno]

A lot of people would slow down. You don't?

[Nick Cannon]

I don't. It's in my DNA. I'm cut that way. I wouldn't know any other way to live.

[David Begno]

Producer, actor, rapper, comedian, and media mogul is hosting the Masked Singer.

[Nick Cannon]

Please welcome Nick Cannon. Met him when I was five years old. He really became a pillar within our family and within our community. All of the things that I attempt to live by to this day, I. I saw firsthand in him. Welcome back to Wild' n Out, y'. All. Much of it was larger than life. It didn't feel like it was for us. We were more intrinsic into the black culture, hip hop culture. It was really the only place that you got to see your favorite rappers perform.

[David Begno]

Are you still the kid trying to prove something to people?

[Nick Cannon]

I constantly have to prove something to myself. We talk about legacy. Your legacy is what you do for

[David Begno]

others every life you touch. Do you think you have become the man Grandmaster Wilson wanted the child you to see? In this podcast, we sit down with some of the world's most successful people who reveal a person that believed in them before the world did. The conversations are deep, raw and relatable. Special thanks to our friends at Canva for believing in us. Canva has a two part mission. Build one of the world's most valuable companies and and then do the most good you can with it. They give their product free of charge to schools and nonprofits because they are on a mission to create equal opportunities that empower people all over the world. And finally, please like and subscribe this video. And if you're listening, please consider rating our podcast. Nick Cannon's career didn't happen in a straight line. He started young, learned in public, and figured out how to keep moving in an industry that rarely makes room for growth. Over time, his life played out with an audience watching. There were career wins, personal relationships, health challenges and fatherhood have all unfolded very publicly and often at the same time. When Nick thought seriously about who believed in him early on, he didn't reach for the obvious answer. He went back to childhood, to a time when discipline and structure and example mattered more than encouragement. That person shaped how Nick understands integrity, responsibility, and what it means to be a man. And that influence still shows up in his life today. And that is where we begin. Welcome.

[Nick Cannon]

Thank you. Is quite the intro. You put it so, you know, poignant.

[David Begno]

Do you see your life story as a poignant one, a thriller. How do you see it?

[Nick Cannon]

That's a great question. Because it's. It's so ongoing that I probably never step back to analyze it yet because it's. It's constant. And I guess I'm probably getting to that age where I probably should start looking back and, you know, even this moment now is reflecting on, like, childhood and different people who influence you. I haven't done a lot of that because I'm always on the hustle and on the grind. So I think, you know, if I had to define it, it's. It's definitely an action movie.

[David Begno]

An action. I can see that. We start these Nick the same way, and it is with a photo. And I'd like to begin with this.

[Nick Cannon]

Ah, yeah, that. Exactly. And when I say action movie, I mean, it's definitely like a. A martial arts action movie.

[David Begno]

Tell people listening and watching who that is.

[Nick Cannon]

This is Ma James Wilson, my first instructor in the field of martial arts. He's a grandmaster of taekwondo, hopkido. And I mean, this dude is phenomenal. Probably one of the most accomplished men that I ever met and early on was just such a great influence to my family and met him when I was five years old.

[David Begno]

You call him the person who believed in you. Why?

[Nick Cannon]

I would say there's many reasons why. I feel like Master Wilson is the person who believed in me. And I take it to a space because obviously when you think about a question like who believes in you? You instantly go to your parents. And my dad is so influential in my life. And interestingly enough, Master Wilson was his instructor as well.

[David Begno]

What did his belief in you look like?

[Nick Cannon]

I had that youth perspective. Right. You know, so he was larger than life to me.

[David Begno]

Stern?

[Nick Cannon]

Yes. More. All of the things that I attempt to live by to this day, I saw firsthand in him discipline, integrity, perseverance, resilience, strength. You know, probably more than anything is strength.

[David Begno]

So you're how old when you meet him?

[Nick Cannon]

I met him when I was 5 years old.

[David Begno]

Oh, you were in taekwondo at 5?

[Nick Cannon]

At 5. Because, you know, my dad had a history of it. And, you know, I was at the time my father's only son, only child, and he wanted me to kind of follow in his footsteps. And, you know, we grew up in a disenfranchised community, lower income, so having a Taekwondo studio or a karate studio in a neighborhood was rare, you know, so. And having someone who dedicated their time to the community was like a great opportunity. So I remember, you know, after school, putting on, you know, my. My Gi, as we would call it, and jumping in the car and going down the street and walking in that storefront studio for the first time and just hearing all of this yelling and chopping and seeing bricks being broken, and it was like it was an action movie right off top.

[David Begno]

I was in taekwondo as a kid. I have a deep appreciation for the discipline.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

That, that comes from it.

[Nick Cannon]

Absolutely.

[David Begno]

When you walked in the. Did you have examples in your life at that time of men like Master Wilson?

[Nick Cannon]

Master Wilson was one of a kind. I say I believe there's a lot of things that my father had adopted from what he got from him. So I had a little, A little bit of what, you know, everything from the physicality to push ups to the sternness, but not cut from the same cloth that Master Wilson had. Like, he, I had never met anybody with, with that much sternness and stoic energy.

[David Begno]

He was also a very smart man and very accomplished. When I, when I did some research on him, he was an assistant United States attorney.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

I think you said you believe he was a judge at one point, right? Had done some judge work.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. A minister as well as a, you know, grandmaster in martial arts.

[David Begno]

How did he model discipline and integrity? How did it show up

[Nick Cannon]

inside the. The studio? Obviously it was. There's no jokes, no games, no. No smiling, you know, and for a kid, that can be really intimidating, especially a kid like myself.

[David Begno]

I was about to say, you seem like a kid who smiled all the time.

[Nick Cannon]

All the time. Always with the jokes. So. But, you know, stepping in the door, instantly, bowing, speaking when spoken to. Other than that, you're silent, you know, hands behind your back, you know, that energy. Again, like I said, I had a little bit of it already from my dad, so I wasn't a total fish out of water, but something about just understanding that you have to be the man that you are at all times. And that was a training ground for that. And that idea of, you know, just being the best version of yourself and understanding how to get there daily.

[David Begno]

How many influences like that were there in the neighborhood?

[Nick Cannon]

There were not many influences like that in the neighborhood. There were a lot of influences in the neighborhood, but also coming from, you know, a community where you don't. You don't necessarily see prominent figures, you definitely don't see doctors and judges and lawyers. But then, you know, grandmasters is a whole nother level.

[David Begno]

A question just came to my mind. Do you think you have become the man Grandmaster Wilson wanted you to see, wanted the child you to see?

[Nick Cannon]

I would hope so. I believe so. Obviously later in his life, we got an opportunity to spend some time and.

[David Begno]

Cause I think about the little you. There were no Nick Cannons of that type walking around the neighborhood.

[Nick Cannon]

Neighborhood. You're right.

[David Begno]

And essentially you would be that guy today.

[Nick Cannon]

I would hope so.

[David Begno]

Right? Yeah. We're talking about San Diego.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

This is 19.

[Nick Cannon]

Probably me. It was 85, 86.

[David Begno]

Do you remember the first conversation or what is the first conversation you remember having directly with him? Describe it in detail.

[Nick Cannon]

I would probably say, if I can remember.

[David Begno]

Yeah.

[Nick Cannon]

Because I remember it was about getting into the class. I was very scared. I wasn't really excited about it, because if I'm gonna be completely honest, One, being scared, but then two, this was a whole new world that I almost had to do. I felt obligated. Not just extracurricular activity, but I knew this was like, this is a new way of life that I have to. That as a kid that I have to start living that I necessarily wasn't ready for. I was a hyperactive little kid. I was precocious. I was. So discipline was the last thing I wanted to do.

[David Begno]

Did you feel drawn to the discipline?

[Nick Cannon]

No, didn't. Yeah. So that's.

[David Begno]

You pushed back against it.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, that's. Yeah. So I. It wasn't. So in that first conversation, I remember, like, man, this dude is mean. Like, this. This dude is. No jokes. And I'm used to, you know, especially at that age, like, being silly and joking and knowing that in this first conversation, it's probably one of the first serious conversations that I had ever really had with anyone outside of, you know, my parents. So to have a. Another adult, intimidating figure have a conversation about, you know, joining this class and what to expect and how I. How I have to carry myself, it was. It was.

[David Begno]

Do you remember him fussing at you?

[Nick Cannon]

He was a loud man.

[David Begno]

Yes.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. So I don't think he was necessarily fussing at me.

[David Begno]

Yeah.

[Nick Cannon]

Like. And he never. He didn't talk at you. Right.

[David Begno]

You were part of a class.

[Nick Cannon]

Right, Right. So. And, you know, every time to time, you. He would. You would get called out, but it wouldn't be. It was never. But on those one. On one conversations, he wasn't loud.

[David Begno]

Did you ever want to quit?

[Nick Cannon]

Absolutely. I would say I wanted to quit more. More than that, you know, why'd you stay in it? It was. I mean, I knew the benefit and

[David Begno]

that even at that young an age.

[Nick Cannon]

Well, obviously, I would probably say at that younger age, my dad and everything, they probably made me go, like, if

[David Begno]

we're being honest, how long do you stay in Taekwondo?

[Nick Cannon]

I mean, it's all. It's a. It's a. It's a life. Life journey. You know, I'm still in. In martial arts to this.

[David Begno]

So 10, 12, 14. You were still.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, well, so probably so with Master Wilson, it was probably till about age, you know, because then my father actually moved from San Diego to North Carolina, where he practiced with my younger brothers as well. So I moved out there when I was 12. So it was so.

[David Begno]

So five to eight.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. Or like five to 12. Five to 12, yeah.

[David Begno]

Okay, tell me about some of those. As you got older, meaningful interactions you had with him that were formative.

[Nick Cannon]

Well, interestingly enough, he was introduced to me as, you know, the Master Wilson, the. The karate instructor. But he really became a pillar within our family and within our community. So, you know, when people would have issues or there would be problems or even if there's something going on with the law, you would go talk to Master Wilson about it and get his opinion, because he was an attorney, because he was a judge, because he was so you. He would come preach at the church, you know, like, so you would see him in various spaces. And he became much more than just, you know, Master Wilson, the hapkido grandmaster.

[David Begno]

Anything stand out in your mind that he told you that you'll never forget?

[Nick Cannon]

I would say the. The idea of integrity. And can you think I didn't? Because I. At that age, I remember they were. There would be all of the words on the wall.

[David Begno]

Yeah.

[Nick Cannon]

You know, perseverance, integrity, strength, courage, you know, and the. But I didn't know what integrity meant. And then it just was like to do the right thing even when no one's watching. And that just has always sat with me. I pass that on to my kids to this day, and that. Those are one of the. The first words that, when I'm talking about, you know, character that I instill in my own kids.

[David Begno]

So I want to dig even deeper because I. It always fascinates me when people pick their person.

[Nick Cannon]

Right.

[David Begno]

Because I'm. I wonder how him being a good example for you amounted to you feeling like he believed in you.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

Let's go even deeper. Like, how did that feel? Like a belief in young Nick Cannon. I understand you didn't realize it then,

[Nick Cannon]

but looking back, looking back, how.

[David Begno]

How did it amount to a belief in you?

[Nick Cannon]

I think even as a kid, I was impressed and knew the value of someone of his stature and his accomplishments to be in our community. He was like a superhero to me. So like it wasn't normal. I knew he wasn't a normal guy. I knew people who break bricks with

[David Begno]

their head are not normal.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, you know, just like he was just so stoic. He was so strong. And then to know all the accomplishments there was like folklore in the community. Like that man, he does it all. And so to have an interaction with him and know that he was willing to talk to me, to teach me, was that one of those first examples, like wow, this person really does believe in me. He was an instructor. But then at the same time, you always value when someone can give back and too much is given, much is required. Those ideas that to me made me feel special because I was like, wow. I get an up close and personal lesson daily from someone of, you know, great stature.

[David Begno]

I think this is, this is a good point to make that as a child you don't have the awareness that this is an individual who believes in me and this is notable in my life.

[Nick Cannon]

Right.

[David Begno]

But as an adult reflecting back on it, I think the meaningful perspective to come from this is, you know, what kind of people you want to put in your kids lives or your grandkids lives.

[Nick Cannon]

Absolutely. Right, Absolutely.

[David Begno]

I mean I, I think that's a big takeaway from this.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, totally. I mean, and even with my relationship with Master Wilson, watching how my dad did the exact same thing. Yeah, he saw the value when he was working with him and then GATE allowed him to and you know, he passed away. But I so wish I could have had the opportunity to allow my kids to meet him.

[David Begno]

I would assume that some of that discipline from the studio made its way home.

[Nick Cannon]

Absolutely.

[David Begno]

In what ways?

[Nick Cannon]

First of all, the walk home sometimes would be a dangerous one. I would never encourage letting your kids walk home in the hood in a karate uniform. He's just a target. Like they want to test you. But I say that in jest, but in that sense there's a sense of pride, there's a sense of I just accomplished something and to be able, because there's a whole physical training aspect that makes you feel good about yourself afterwards. So being able to do 20 push ups on my knuckles, you know, as a kid, or being able to obviously stretch and be limber and you know, pick up on counting in other languages and you know, all of these things were stuff that I was, that happened in the class but then became a part of me and then, you know, rightly so. The discipline of just being a person of integrity, a person of perseverance, a person of strength and courage. All of those things started to. To live with me daily.

[David Begno]

Were you more afraid of Master Wilson or your dad?

[Nick Cannon]

Ooh, definitely Master Wilson. My dad. I could. I could ease up for, you know, like, he's. That's my dad. He's going. Master Wilson wasn't necessarily hugging you and all. Like, my dad's an affectionate guy. He's so. Master Wilson was a lot more stoic than my dad.

[David Begno]

You said you and your dad grew up together?

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

What do you mean by that?

[Nick Cannon]

My dad had me when my parents. But they had me when they were teenagers. I was at my dad's high school graduation. Wow.

[David Begno]

How old was he when he graduated high school?

[Nick Cannon]

17. 18. 18. Yeah. Somewhere around there, whatever the age is. But, yeah, that was. We grew up together in that sense, where even at a time, his parents looked after me when he went off to college in North Carolina. So, you know, there's definitely the ideas of. We learned a lot together. And I watched my dad go through so much, you know, as even starting his own family and, you know, having four more boys. And, you know, even as a young man, I think, you know, my dad had, you know, five boys or, you know, before he was 30, I believe. So it's like, yeah.

[David Begno]

So does growing up together in that sense give you a little bit more grace when you reflect back on mistakes

[Nick Cannon]

that may have been made or 100%? There probably was a time when I was a teenager, you know, I had this idea, I want to do everything myself. I want it. You know, I got this. I'm gonna make. I'm gonna become the man that I need to become without anyone. And that was. That's just the mindset I had. So parents or anybody almost thought there was this narrative that, you know, I did it on my own. But as you get older, you're like, nah, you didn't do it on your own.

[David Begno]

Right.

[Nick Cannon]

Like, there are people there in your corner. There are people there supporting. There's people there that instilled ideas. And my dad was definitely one of those people, because even when he wasn't there physically, when we didn't live in the same city, you know, the ideas and these concepts and, you know, the things that have been instilled in me, like, from Master Wilson, like, were always present. But there was, like I said, during. During that time, especially when my career had just started, I was like, you know, I had left the house when I was, like, 16. Like, I was that. The youngest to do this, the youngest to do that, living on my own. Like, I really embraced that idea. And then, you know, probably a few years after that, my father and I got even closer and he came and moved out back to California with me. And we. There was a different bonding time to where all of those things that I probably could have been upset or held a grudge about, I was like, man, you were a kid, you were my age with children.

[David Begno]

Why did y' all become closer?

[Nick Cannon]

I think it was just proximity and time and, you know, it was an opportunity for, you know, I think the first house that I ever bought, I think I was about 18 or 19, and it was just him and I in the house. And we had never really had that experience because it was. We always had a house that was full of people. So we got an opportunity to really just bond as adults, too. For the first. I mean, I was still 18 or 19. I wasn't a full adult yet. But one thing about my dad, he always treated me like a man. Always. He never treated me like a child. Like, so we would always have these deep conversations. And especially around that time, we were very honest and real with one another. So that gave us, like I said, in proximity, it was just him and I.

[David Begno]

How old were you when your career started?

[Nick Cannon]

It depends what you believe. Saying my career started, I was always that kid that just thought he was an entertainer.

[David Begno]

What was the first job you got paid for?

[Nick Cannon]

Ooh, it's a good question. Started doing stand up comedy at 11.

[David Begno]

When you say pay at 11, were you funny or just obnoxious?

[Nick Cannon]

Both. I was both. And it's interesting, going back to my dad again, my dad would, you know, he had a cable access show where he was doing his ministry.

[David Begno]

Oh, really?

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, like a makeshift televangelist vibe. But we had. I was part of the crew, so I had to run the cameras and help build the set and all that stuff. And, you know, as a reward, I got my own time to film stuff. And my dad allowed me to make, like, little comedy videos or rap videos on set. So that kind of. And he. He knew because I really wanted to be a rapper. And he was like, every young kid wants to be a rapper. You're really funny. And so when he would go out on different speaking engagements or anything, he would allow me to, like, kind of open up for him. And in that vibe, like, I would just do my thing.

[David Begno]

Were you chasing at that age, Teenage age, Fame, Money?

[Nick Cannon]

Definitely not money. Okay. Fame. I think the idea of just.

[David Begno]

I was, what did fame mean to you?

[Nick Cannon]

Attention, attention. People knowing me, you know, like, even growing up I remember I just wanted everybody in our neighborhood to know my name like that.

[David Begno]

You think that desire came from.

[Nick Cannon]

I don't know, because I remember as a kid, like, I always introduced myself by my full name. I'm Nick Cannon. I don't know if that's something like where I got it from. Yeah, I'm Nick Cannon. And I knew that as, like, that's how people would know me from my full name. So I felt like I was somebody. I felt like. And I just had to let everyone else know. I had this whimsical thought process that, like, every mirror and window in the house was a camera. So I was always, like, playing, like I was making a TV show into the mirrors and talking to the TV show, looking out the, like, on some Truman show type of vibes. I just felt like people were watching me.

[David Begno]

Like, you were always on.

[Nick Cannon]

Always on. Always had to have the. The witty comeback or something funny. Trying to make people laugh. Attention seeking behavior.

[David Begno]

A lot of times, attention seeking behavior is done to mask something. Were you. Were you trying to mask something?

[Nick Cannon]

Trying to mask something at that age? I don't believe so. I definitely grew up in a very unorthodox household or had an unorthodox upbringing. It wasn't your. But I had so much love. Like, my mother. Amazing. Just loved me, and I was her world. And then my dad was, you know, that. That figure. To me, that was, that's your hero. And then his parents were also like all of our parents. So I had, you know, his father, who was super influential in my life, and, you know, another hero of mine. And then my grandmother, who still to this day is the matriarch, and really just.

[David Begno]

What's her name?

[Nick Cannon]

Marie Cannon.

[David Begno]

Miss Marie Cannon.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

Still with us?

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

Amen. I need to take a moment just to thank Canva for backing this podcast. Their support is what makes these conversations possible. Canva is guided by a clear idea. Build something incredibly valuable and then use it to do real good in the world. That's why they provide their tools free of charge to schools and nonprofits, helping to create equal access and opportunity for people all over the world. Back to the attention seeking. So you don't. It doesn't seem like there was something you were trying to mass.

[Nick Cannon]

I was just one of those kids that was really hyperactive. You know, I don't know. Obviously haven't done a lot of the neurological studies on it now, you know, I have an interesting frontal lobe, shall we say? And, you know, I definitely. The ADHD diagnosis and all of that stuff just, but just love to be on, love to be vibrant and precocious. Like that was my thing. I don't, I don't think it was connected because I had so much love from every family member. I had so much care. I, I didn't have any from, even from this.

[David Begno]

No trauma. No trauma. No trauma.

[Nick Cannon]

I had no trauma.

[David Begno]

No scandal.

[Nick Cannon]

Nah.

[David Begno]

No abuse.

[Nick Cannon]

Not at all. Not. I mean, like I said, we all had to go through something, but I think probably with my parents being young.

[David Begno]

Yeah.

[Nick Cannon]

And not, you know, like when I'm in therapy now, you know, the, the, the detachment, avoiding and being able to, you know, because I probably didn't have that traditional setting, I can bounce around more than others, so I don't, I have that issue. But I wouldn't even see that as trauma. I just was. I know how to love her within the moment and, you know, when it's no longer there, I'm, I don't. I can disengage pretty easily.

[David Begno]

What does therapy do for you?

[Nick Cannon]

Therapy, it does a few things for me. One, it is a great space to offload when you're trying to manage bandwidth. Allows you to take sincere inventory, especially if you've done it for quite some time. Because then you have a person that can say, well, three years ago you were here, today you're here. So I love that aspect of it and that comes with long term therapy. And I'm getting to experience those benefits now. Initial therapy is, I always called it waste management. It's that place where you could just like, just get all out. Like you could just like unload. It doesn't have to make sense. And you feel better, you feel lighter coming out of those spaces that I think if I could share with anyone who hasn't had that experience, that is probably the instantaneous benefit from once you get it right to where you're like. And you say it's like getting a, a brain massage, like where you could just, you just feel better after you talk things through. So. But now it's definitely, you know, when you can take inventory of yourself and hold yourself accountable and actually attempt to be, you know, the best version of yourself and grow every time. It's. It's been so helpful for me.

[David Begno]

You've been very open and I didn't know this until I started doing my research, but you've been very open about npd.

[Nick Cannon]

Oh yes.

[David Begno]

Tell everybody listening and watching what that is.

[Nick Cannon]

Narcissistic personality disorder.

[David Begno]

How is that defined?

[Nick Cannon]

That's very interesting because. And as somebody who's been in tons of couples therapy and just really just dove into the space of psychology in a big way for me. I had her always heard that term just narcissist. You hear it a lot. It was like one of these buzzwords, gaslighting, narcissist, all you started to hear that. And I was like, all right, I need to understand what that is. And because I, you know, frequent therapy and have a lot of great therapists in my life, I knew you couldn't just self diagnose. And I feel like especially people in relationships get that all the time when they're upset with someone, they're a narcissist or. And I wanted to, because I had been called it so much, I was like, I want to one understand. Am I one? And if I am, how can I actually work through it? And so it's a pretty intense and extensive process of testing that they, they do.

[David Begno]

And what does it involve?

[Nick Cannon]

Lots of questionnaires. And I think where I might have went wrong with it, you know, it's personality test. You're always trying to give the right answer. And that's what narcissists do, you know. So I got stuck. Cause I'm like, oh, I can. This is easy. And then I'm like, oh, then this is a process. And so even when you know lots of interviews and how you would handle multiple situations and then it's a spectrum. So then you realize what you check off and what you don't check off. Like I never had any rage issues, which, you know, some people on one end of the spectrum and then like the lack of empathy, those are the ones when you think about rage and lack of empathy. That's when you think about narcissists. But those are the super duper narcissists. But I think, I think everyone has a little bit of narcissism in them. It's how they present it.

[David Begno]

People, I think, weaponize the word narcissist with intention as a tool of shame.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

Did you feel any sense of shame when you were diagnosed?

[Nick Cannon]

I've been diagnosed with a lot of things. So I have a, I have a concept of why people diagnose. So I wouldn't say shame, but I understood it. And I actually was in the first, like it was the first step of healing for me is it was acceptance because I accepted everything that that test said that I was. It was definitely, you know, a great self value. Absolutely have, you know, I love me. You know, most of the time believes what, you know, whatever they have to say is the right thing. Like, I truly believe that, you know, I'm one of those people. When I speak, I speak emphatically and you know, I'm very deliberate. So a lot of the stuff that said, you know, these are traits of a narcissist I agree with. And then it was. Made me feel really good that I knew that I didn't have any rage issues and that I did have empathy because those were the two things I was afraid of because those are the things that are normally weaponized in this.

[David Begno]

In the space you talked about diagnoses, you've been diagnosed with a lot. I'm curious. I've been diagnosed with. I have Tourette syndrome.

[Nick Cannon]

Oh, wow.

[David Begno]

I was diagnosed with adhd.

[Nick Cannon]

Right those days they say those use, those go together sometimes.

[David Begno]

I think I was diagnosed with add.

[Nick Cannon]

And then it became. I have a joke about that. In one of my standups, I was like, I had it. I said I had it before. It was adhd, the high def version.

[David Begno]

What, what are, what are the other things you've been diagnosed with?

[Nick Cannon]

Adhd? The, you know, in my health process, you know, I also been diagnosed with lupus nephritis. It's so interesting when dealing with a lot of doctors, their opinions will vary based off of what stage you are in your life. So there's even been times where, you know, depression. But I think that was probably just a stage in my life, you know, it was.

[David Begno]

That's interesting. For a moment I want to think about that. I never thought of a diagnosis such as depression as being a chapter rather than your whole book.

[Nick Cannon]

Right. Yeah. And I think that's, that's how I look at diagnosis. Even, even with my lupus, like, it's like, oh no, this is a stage. This is just, I'm, you can say I'm, I'm working through this. I'm dealing with this currently, but it doesn't define me.

[David Begno]

What are you doing to make your life better to deal with the lupus?

[Nick Cannon]

Oh man. I got diagnosed in 2012 and it's a journey I'm currently experiencing, you know, issues related to, to my kidneys as well as the lupus flare ups they cut, they come certain times a year and based off of the stress levels, the me properly taking my medication, some flare ups are worse than others flare up, look like lots of inflammation, Things most people would never. You couldn't see it on me, you know, like it gets difficult to get out of bed. It's a process. Like I have to. And you know, my meditation helps with that. But, like, sometimes, like, you just. It hurts to move, and. But then, you know, you become resilient through that. And, you know, like, all right, well, I got to get up extra 30 minutes earlier. I got to meditate a little longer. I got to stretch. So those daily practices help.

[David Begno]

A lot of people would slow down.

[Nick Cannon]

They would.

[David Begno]

You don't.

[Nick Cannon]

I don't.

[David Begno]

Why?

[Nick Cannon]

I honestly believe when I slow down, it hurts more.

[David Begno]

Explain that.

[Nick Cannon]

However, my autoimmune condition, or even, like, I feel the worst when I'm in the hospital, I feel the worst when I'm laid up in bed. And the thing that makes me feel better is when I get up and go, when I'm motivated to do something, when I gotta get to set or I got, like, that drives me. I don't know if it's the adrenaline. I don't know if it's my spirit. Like, I'm more of a spiritual being to where, like, the physicality isn't gonna stop me. If I have something to do, then everything else would click into place. So that's how I've dealt with lupus. It's like, I. There's. And you can probably see it in all the content that I've ever done. Like, I'll still show up to work. I'll. I'll host a show. I'll do a podcast in the middle of it, because it actually makes me feel better.

[David Begno]

Are you still the kid trying to prove something to people?

[Nick Cannon]

I am absolutely still the kid trying to prove something to people. But you know what? I'm the kid.

[David Begno]

Because you've got wealth.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. I'm the kid.

[David Begno]

Success.

[Nick Cannon]

Trying to prove something to himself.

[David Begno]

To himself. Let's dig on that.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. Like, I don't. I've never really cared about what other people think about me, long as they're giving me attention. Like, I just give me energy. Like, but I care about what I think about me, and that is. I constantly have to prove something to myself.

[David Begno]

Was there a period in which you didn't believe in yourself?

[Nick Cannon]

No, I'm a narcissist. I've always believed in myself.

[David Begno]

So then why does a narcissist feel the need to prove something to himself?

[Nick Cannon]

Challenges. I love challenges. One of my therapists called me a machete juggler. In that sense of, like, get your tickets, come to the show. Throw another one in here. Watch this. And it's like, self challenges.

[David Begno]

What do you still want to prove?

[Nick Cannon]

That I'm superhuman? I think in that. That sense that there's. I. I can Accomplish it all. There's nothing that I can't do. There's nothing like. And it goes back to the idea of, you know, learning from individuals like a Master Wilson. To see somebody who was so accomplished and made the most out of his life, like, even when it's all said and done for me, it's like, you know, I gotta ride it till the wheels fall off. I gotta achieve as much as I possibly can. I gotta reach that level. And it's not, it's not in a monetary sense. It's not even in accolades. It's just, yo, I, I did it all, I want to do it all. And, and it's not about others. It's really about proving to myself that I can.

[David Begno]

Does the drive also relate to your personal life with your kids?

[Nick Cannon]

100%, that drive. Well, now to me, I've shifted it and made it. Hopefully made it all about my kids being the example, first and foremost. But then two, setting, Setting up a universe or a world, that they can do it all to it, that they can have that same mentality that they're limitless.

[David Begno]

How do you do that for them?

[Nick Cannon]

With some of these same concepts, you know, strength, courage, integrity.

[David Begno]

Well, what does that look like? Is it. Is it a trust fund you set up?

[Nick Cannon]

Is it. I don't see, I don't like to think of it from a monetary sense.

[David Begno]

Okay.

[Nick Cannon]

Which hopefully, I mean, yeah, that's, that's kind of given. Right. But I also have seen that done, you know, not in the best light as well. If you, you sure. If you just focus on just, hey, yeah, they go to the best schools and money. And then how do you show up

[David Begno]

for your kids in a way that makes you feel fulfilled?

[Nick Cannon]

Showing up, being there, being present.

[David Begno]

You got 12 kids. That's a lot of show.

[Nick Cannon]

That's a lot of presents.

[David Begno]

It's a lot of presents.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, but that's, that's that super dad drive that's in me. Like, I want to be like, as soon as I leave here, I got to go school pickup, you know, and I was school drop off this morning, you know, before a long day of press. It's like all of that stuff is like, where normal. Like a lot of other people in my life, like, man, how do you do that every day? And it's like, I do it one, because I love it, and then two, like, it's my responsibility, it's my duty. And where normally people would allow nannies to do it and no judgment on any of those things, but the more I can Personally do. It is really the greatest currency that I could ever give my kids. And because. And them knowing that their dad, as much as I try to be super dad, I'm flawed, I'm human. And we embrace and talk about who I am and who they are and in, in proximity. And so it's setting it up in that way to where we can talk about anything, we can engage in any type of way, and dad's always going to be there. And whatever you want to do in life, I'm going to support.

[David Begno]

How old is the oldest kid?

[Nick Cannon]

I have 14 year old twins about to be 15.

[David Begno]

And how old is the youngest?

[Nick Cannon]

Three.

[David Begno]

Oh, wow.

[Nick Cannon]

It used to be cool because I used to say 1 to 12. Now they're growing.

[David Begno]

I want to go back to add for a minute. I look at it as my superpower.

[Nick Cannon]

Always have. It is. It truly is. But you know, with great power comes great responsibility.

[David Begno]

Sure, sure. And sometimes torment. Like I have trouble shutting my brain off at night.

[Nick Cannon]

I don't sleep to go to sleep.

[David Begno]

And some people would look at that as an unhealthy imbalance, as another diagnosis

[Nick Cannon]

I've had is my insomnia.

[David Begno]

Okay. I look at it as I'm a relentless, restless dreamer. And you know, I, this is, I can't claim this. I read somewhere that Beyonce said she only does a project that she goes to bed dreaming about.

[Nick Cannon]

Oh, wow, that's a beautiful.

[David Begno]

Isn't that, isn't that beautiful? And I was like, I feel that.

[Nick Cannon]

I get that. Yeah, yeah, right.

[David Begno]

I've been doing this for 25 years and I still had trouble going to sleep last night because I was so happy and excited to sit with you.

[Nick Cannon]

Oh, thank you.

[David Begno]

And by the way, I think you can understand that we don't know each other.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes.

[David Begno]

Until today.

[Nick Cannon]

First time David and I have met, we've been like old friends.

[David Begno]

I wasn't interested in talking about Nick Cannon, the star because quite frankly, I can't relate to the success you had. But I can relate to so much of the therapy, the meaning, the diagnoses. So, so I say all of that to say where we connect is on struggle. And I think it's where humans in general connect.

[Nick Cannon]

Indeed. And then when you make, when you can make that connection with someone, it's intrinsic, you understand, like all that they've gone through and in that moment, like we don't know each other, but just knowing that, oh yeah, he. We're like minded individuals. We cut from the same club.

[David Begno]

Amen. All right, I want to go to some of my other questions, when did I want to talk about the early days? Right. Like when MTV was in the heyday, the fun time. What did MTV teach you about both culture and timing?

[Nick Cannon]

Culture and timing, yeah. It's interesting because from the outside looking in, yeah, MTV was larger than life. Larger than life, you know, but you know that. That's Michael Jackson, you know. But once I got into the space of working with mtv and the show

[David Begno]

that you did was.

[Nick Cannon]

Well, the biggest show that I did with them and the one that's still ongoing is Wild N Out.

[David Begno]

Yep.

[Nick Cannon]

But I started off as like a host and even, even in the space, it's, you know, baby, baby sibling network, Nickelodeon is where I really cut my teeth. And then I kind of graduated into MTV and doing a lot of hosting there and then got the opportunity to create Wild N Out, which had become one of the biggest staples within the MTV branding.

[David Begno]

Do you have ownership in that show?

[Nick Cannon]

I have ownership.

[David Begno]

I read something about you that said you are obsessive about IP and having some ownership and things.

[Nick Cannon]

You know what?

[David Begno]

I used to be, which I find admirable.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, I used to be because to the point when I created Wild N Out, I was probably the first, I want to say the first, but one of many entertainers or producers to create their own IP or intellectual property and then sell it to mtv. So that was like. That hadn't happened, you know, that didn't happen in the early 2000s. So everybody was really impressed. That used my own money shot, the pilot, sold it to mtv, got an amazing deal because of that, and then has only been able to benefit from it, you know, to this day, to where even when MTV goes away, Wild N Out does it.

[David Begno]

That's fascinating. So anyway, culture and timing, anything to say?

[Nick Cannon]

Cause it's interesting because the culture and timing, when you think about what MTV meant to the culture, yep, it was some positives and negatives, you know, And I felt like there was a white space that I entered in that could help bridge that because MTV wasn't necessary as much of it was larger than life. It didn't feel like it was for us, culturally.

[David Begno]

Yep.

[Nick Cannon]

It was pop culture where, you know, we were more intrinsic into the black culture and to hip hop culture. So it was few and far between where you saw that on mtv. I mean, everybody knows the great historic, you know, events of them not wanting to play Michael Jackson's videos and how record labels and he was making the best videos ever. And, you know, so it was definitely, you know, obviously nobody probably. They probably Want to tell a different story. But history is history. And, you know, looking back, they made the right decisions, obviously, but we always looked at MTV like, we're not really accepted there. So when I was able to create wild' n Out and it was all about hip hop, it was really the only place that you got to see your favorite rappers perform, that you got to get introduced to your favorite comedians that are now worldwide names like Kevin Hart and Cat Williams and many others. But for me to be able to be a part of that, culturally, I feel like I was a. A healthy conduit.

[David Begno]

You created space for people.

[Nick Cannon]

Right.

[David Begno]

And opportunities.

[Nick Cannon]

Right.

[David Begno]

And I never had that appreciation about you until I started doing research.

[Nick Cannon]

Oh, thank you.

[David Begno]

For folks that are big today.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

That are where they are because you sort of opened the door for them.

[Nick Cannon]

Right. People built a platform. Okay.

[David Begno]

People like. People like, give us some names.

[Nick Cannon]

People like, through the Wild N Out platform, we've had everybody from, like I said, Kevin Hart, Katt Williams, Matt Rife was doing amazing things. Now Pete Davison. So Mikey Day, the guys you see on snl.

[David Begno]

Nick, that's incredible.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. I mean, these are. But these are just my friends, you know, and there's so many others.

[David Begno]

I mean, are your kids impressed with your success? Like the twins? I think of the 14 they are,

[Nick Cannon]

but they're not like, they. Well, first of all, their mom's Mariah Carey.

[David Begno]

So hard to compete. Hard to compete.

[Nick Cannon]

The mom's a little more impressive than I am, but they're impressed by the small things. You know, the stuff where, you know, my social media videos and we do a lot of YouTube videos and stuff together. But the kids get excited about. The dad's a YouTuber now. They're excited about that more than, like, movies and tv.

[David Begno]

What have the kids taught you about yourself?

[Nick Cannon]

Come on, man. That's a. That's a daily lesson that I'm not superhuman as much as that I try to give off this super dad vibe and I can do it all. Like, they. They constantly remind me that one. And it's okay. We. We love and accept you for just being our dad and not having to always. Right.

[David Begno]

Because don't we want them to see some of the vulnerability.

[Nick Cannon]

Absolutely.

[David Begno]

That I'm experiencing here?

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. Absolutely.

[David Begno]

I mean, I just get to see that $10 million grill you got and. And this great personality. Like. Like, that's what we see. Clips.

[Nick Cannon]

Right, right.

[David Begno]

Like, what I've seen of Nick Cannon is clips.

[Nick Cannon]

Right, right.

[David Begno]

It wasn't until this conversation in my research that I came to appreciate sort of where you come from and the foundation that you've laid both for yourself and for other people.

[Nick Cannon]

I'll take that.

[David Begno]

It's heavy.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

But it's meaningful.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. And like. And as a father, that's really what you know, because I'm gonna give. I'm. Be honest. I'm performative in my nature. And that's. Through therapy, I've learned that. And that's what the Machete juggler like. It's so everything that I do, I do it as if I'm doing it for the cameras. I'm doing it like they say, do it like you're doing it for tv. And I think because I've been doing it so long, that I really have to differentiate when to turn it on and when to turn it off. And the only time I could turn it off is for my. I'm myself when I'm with my kids.

[David Begno]

The most.

[Nick Cannon]

The most.

[David Begno]

This is, like, really deep. But at the end of your life, have you ever thought about or contemplated the fact that Wild N Out and every other success you've had, America's just whatever you want to name it.

[Nick Cannon]

Right.

[David Begno]

Right. Will not be a topic of conversation in the end.

[Nick Cannon]

Right. It's interesting. We. We talk about legacy.

[David Begno]

Yes.

[Nick Cannon]

A lot. And sometimes I don't think we understand the true definition. Especially with me. People think my children are my legacy when I truly believe your children are your lineage. But your legacy is what you do

[David Begno]

for others every life you touch.

[Nick Cannon]

And however in that, I've learned that that's what I attempt to do. So it doesn't have to be your name on the side of a building or a street sign or hospital named after you or even a platform that you built. It's really like, how did you connect with people? How did you make people feel? How. And what. What do they say about you while you're no longer there?

[David Begno]

And do you feel people say nice things when you're no longer there?

[Nick Cannon]

If they know me.

[David Begno]

If they know you. What about those who don't?

[Nick Cannon]

There's some ideas out there. Like I said, the surface level again, everything from the. The narcissist to the over overly performative. Like all of this stuff that, you know, you see on the comments on the Internet. But it's. I feel like once people get an opportunity to know me and know my true drive, a lot of that stuff goes away. And it's surface. I have no problem with it. I understand how the game goes, so I take it for what it is, especially being One of a performative nature. Sometimes I lean into it.

[David Begno]

Do you love controversy?

[Nick Cannon]

I do. I don't. I don't know if I love yes. I'm just gonna say yes because I understand how to maneuver through it. I see it as another challenge. I'm never scared of it. I'm never trying to avoid it.

[David Begno]

Now, are you afraid of being canceled?

[Nick Cannon]

I've been canceled so many times, so it's. And made it through and actually come. Come out on the other side even more successful.

[David Begno]

How does that happen?

[Nick Cannon]

I don't know. But through the grace of God. But being. Being ten toes down, standing firm on what you believe and what you said. I'm one of those individuals that believes, like, if you say something controversial or if you stand for something, you have to. You have to be that it can't be wavered by if you're going to lose a job or not or if, you know. Now, I believe everything that I ever speak about or engage in comes from a place of love and kindness. I have misspoken many times. I have, you know, put my foot in my mouth trying to be funny and being inappropriate. But it never comes from a place of malice. I'm never. I'm not a hurtful or hateful individual. So that gives me that ability to be like, yeah, I said it. Yeah. I feel this way because I'm. I believe I'm coming from a very sincere and loving place. But I definitely have been controversial and have engaged in spaces where others probably would tread lightly. Hmm.

[David Begno]

You like standing in the fire?

[Nick Cannon]

I love standing in the fire. I'm performing it. Standing in the fire while juggling machetes.

[David Begno]

If you're not in the fire, do you feel boring or just like you're losing out?

[Nick Cannon]

Oh, I'll say that. Boring. Maybe bored. Like I like. Again, I just like doing stuff like I like. I love a challenge. Always been that way.

[David Begno]

Is there a question you wish people would stop asking you? I've asked you so many, but is there one you wish people would stop asking?

[Nick Cannon]

Why do you have so many kids? How do you answer that question? Like, that said that that probably is the one. One question. Why do you have so many kids? Like, I was like, that's not a. I don't have an answer for that question.

[David Begno]

Did you plan to have 12?

[Nick Cannon]

Interesting. Look, I believe speaking things into existence. And I would always joke that I want 12 kids and it actually happened, but I was joking when I said it. I didn't think it would actually happen.

[David Begno]

Why did you want 12?

[Nick Cannon]

I always wanted a big family. You know, like I said, my dad got five boys. I come from, you know, a large, loving family. But we just. I've always liked kids. You know, growing up, being that. That kid that had so much energy and Nickelodeon. I was always good with kids. Like, so I've always. Kids were always drawn to me. So in that I've always wanted a lot of my own and it worked out.

[David Begno]

Do you feel like you're able to give them all the time they deserve?

[Nick Cannon]

I feel every parent would love to give their kids more.

[David Begno]

But do you deal with any guilt around that?

[Nick Cannon]

I absolutely deal with guilt daily. I think that's another driving force.

[David Begno]

When you feel guilty, do you buy them things? Do you just carve more time out of your schedule to go see them? Like, what, what do you. How do you meet that guilt? In the moment when you feel it.

[Nick Cannon]

You can't meet that guilt. It's always present. But I, I look at. It's a healthy guilt.

[David Begno]

In what way?

[Nick Cannon]

Because it makes me want to do more. And not in a physical sense. Like, I, I gotta.

[David Begno]

Sure.

[Nick Cannon]

You know, I'm not. I. I have to be honest with myself. I'm not gonna make every single recital. I'm not gonna make every basketball or baseball game. But when I am there, I'm present, I'm focused, and I want. And the ones I miss, it eats at me. So then when I miss it, I'm either on the phone or that night, I'm like, how did it go? You know, like, I'm engaging in the way to where they know my presence is still there, even if I wasn't physically at that. And then it's just, you know, with great time management, they definitely become the priority. And luckily everyone in my life has been able to respect that to where they know my kids come first. So I structure my days around school pickups. I structure my days around games. And I'm at an age now where there's nothing wrong. Like, that's a blessing. I tell people I'm so blessed that I've accomplished so much in my life that now being a father is the focus and the, the number one priority where I understand. Like, there's some people that, you know, they're nine to five, dictates what they can do. And I'm blessed where I can. I can alter my day and kind of reverse engineer to where I'm focused on the kids. And then the work comes second.

[David Begno]

How old are you?

[Nick Cannon]

45.

[David Begno]

What's left to prove so much to yourself?

[Nick Cannon]

I Feel like I'm just getting started.

[David Begno]

What?

[Nick Cannon]

Feel like I'm in the best stage.

[David Begno]

What do you want to do?

[Nick Cannon]

One, the one thing I have to prove is that I can overcome all of these health issues.

[David Begno]

Okay. But I get the sense that the doctors look at you when you say that, and they go, hey, Nick, one of the best ways to overcome it is to stop going at 120 miles per hour.

[Nick Cannon]

I get that all the time. But saying my DNA, I'm cut that way, I wouldn't know any other way to live. I wouldn't know. I get that. That's the number one prescription, is to slow down and rest from everyone I deal with. And I attempt it. But like you said, I can't cut my brain off. I can't. Like, creativity is what drives me. Like, challenges are what drive me. So I wouldn't even know. Even in the hospital, I'm there with my. My laptop. I'm sitting there super focused on once I get out of here, once I get better, what I'm gonna do. I don't know how to. And hope is something that's so big in me and faith that I. That's the only way that I feel like I keep going. Like, my faith keeps me alive.

[David Begno]

How has this conversation been for you?

[Nick Cannon]

I'm wondering, David, how has it been for you? I'm probably in my mind, I'm probably thinking, like, I'm expressing things that I believe is who I am.

[David Begno]

I just want a guest who comes with an open heart.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

And you did. And so this interview for me has been very meaningful because I think most everyone who will watch this again can't relate to the success of. But there's a whole lot of relatable struggle.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

And that's where we as people connect, man.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Well, job well done, because I definitely. You know, you're so easy to talk to, but at the same time, when even starting from a space of a belief and who believes in you, you start thinking and it's like, all right, well, I know who believed in me. I know who I believe in. Now with, you know, being a father, it's like. It's just. It opened up so much when, you know, I knew we were going to sit down, I was like, man, I gotta. I gotta. I gotta go through this journey beat by beat.

[David Begno]

Grandmaster Wilson got to see the successful Nick Cannon before he passed away.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, he did. Yeah.

[David Begno]

But something tells me he wasn't looking for the successful guy on television.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah, he didn't care about that guy.

[David Begno]

He didn't care about that guy.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah.

[David Begno]

He wanted the guy who would be an honorable man.

[Nick Cannon]

Yeah. And cared about his community like he did. Yeah.

[David Begno]

Well, here's to him.

[Nick Cannon]

Here's to him.

[David Begno]

May he rest in peace.

[Nick Cannon]

Yes. Thank you, man. Thank you. I'm Nick Cannon, and the person who believed to me was Grandmaster Wilson.

[David Begno]

I thought you might want to know, but this podcast is at the heart of a company I founded called Do Good Crew. I've spent 25 years telling stories. It used to be the bad news, and now I want to focus on the good news. The everyday heroes who are doing extraordinary things. You can join us. We do live events, but we also have a newsletter. It's free. You can sign up for it by going to www.the do good crew. Our podcast was created by me, David Begno. Our executive producer is Olivier Delfoss. Our booker is Sully Block. Foster Parks is our director of photography. Audio technical production is Joseph Gabay and Will Whitley from Static Creative. Our associate producer is Jonah Johnson. Our director of social media is Mariah Maul. The theme music for our show was created by our friends at Slipstream. Post production and edit was done by Long Wave Digital. This podcast was brought to you by Canva. If this episode moved you in any way, consider subscribing to our YouTube channel or following and rating our show on whatever platform you're listening on. This really is the best way to help our show grow and touch more people, and we thank you for it. And one more thing before you go. If you want to join our crew, go to thedogoodcrew.com you'll love what we're doing.