Nick Cannon opened up about his marriage to Mariah Carey and how his struggles with his insecurities ruined the relationship: “She’s already in a different stratosphere,” he said.
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After swearing off marriage and seemingly condoms Nick revealed what really went wrong in his Mariah matrimony even though they “never had problems.” The legendary diva truly had it all — iconic talent, beauty, brilliance, and success. It seems all that would make her any man’s dream, however, those things also made the actor question his manhood.
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In an interview on Ray Daniels Presents, Nick explained what went down behind the scenes after they married in 2008. Of course, the world had a lot to say about his nuptials with one of the biggest stars in the world. No one saw their coupledom coming, but as a seasoned star in his own right, that didn’t mean much to Nick. It was the Wild ‘N Out creator’s view of himself that caused a rift in the relationship.
“I was getting mad at myself,” he shared.
“I didn’t actually really care what the world thought because the perception, you know, that is what it is. People are going to love you one day, hate you the next day. I could care less about that. … But going to myself with that pressure of, ‘Who am I?’” he explained
“I got married in my 20s, you know what I mean? To the biggest star in the world,” he continued.
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By this point, Mariah already had “her own world” that Nick somewhat got “comfortable” in. “She’s got islands and I’m waking up at noon and people bringing me steaks on a platter,” he jokingly said.
Still, that comfort didn’t last as the comedian wondered who he was in his wife’s shadow. He saw himself as far beneath the woman who became the queen of Christmas and exists “in a different stratosphere.”
“I would lay up at night thinking, like, ‘Is is this who I am? Am I Mariah’s man? Is that what my life is supposed to be?’ There’s nothing wrong with it,” he said.”
Nick Cannon Explains How He Went From Losing Himself In Parenthood With Mariah Carey To Fathering 10 More Kids
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Then, Mariah gave birth to their twins, Moroccan and Monroe, in 2011. The dedicated dad seemingly went from a supporting character in his own life to fourth in the “hierarchy” of his family.
“I’m carrying a purse, the diaper bag and, you know, I’m standing on the corner like, ‘Wait.’ She’s rocking being the alpha,” he added.
Mariah was still “understanding” of Nick’s struggles to “prove that I’m a man,” but the couple divorced in 2014. Nick claims Mariah needs and deserves a man to hold her bags while she runs the show, but that still sounds like insecurity talking.
“I’m at the stage where most men are coming into their sincere manhood, and I’m confused about, ‘Who am I?’” he continued.
At the time, Nick was successful with plenty of motion and working as the chairman of Nickelodeon. He was also dealing with serious complications from a Lupus diagnosis. When he got a second chance at life after his health issues, he was determined to redefine himself and pursue every ambition.
“That’s probably why I got 12 kids now!” he joked.
The media mogul previously praised Mariah for maintaining a good relationship with him through that also… as long as he and his five baby mamas “don’t bring bulls**t over there.”
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Between the health scare, needing to feel needed, and losing himself in marriage once, it all adds up… just like Nick’s basketball team of children. Nick isn’t the first spouse of a powerful woman to fight these battles internally, but he’s one of few to reflect on them candidly.