Nick Cannon's Expanding Family Linked to Trauma After Mariah Carey Divorce

The actor has welcomed 12 children with different women since splitting from Carey in 2014.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:21am

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An extreme close-up photograph of shimmering, high-contrast sequins and shattered glass, capturing the glitz and glamour of celebrity culture in an abstract, textural composition.The public fascination with Nick Cannon's rapidly expanding family reflects the complex emotional factors that can influence major life decisions, especially in the spotlight.Arizona City Today

Nick Cannon has made headlines for his growing family, having welcomed 12 children with different women after his divorce from Mariah Carey in 2014. Cannon has acknowledged that the emotional aftermath of the split, combined with the pressures of fame, shaped many of his life choices during that period, leading him to have more children as a 'trauma response.' The actor has said he could have handled things differently had he taken time to properly heal, but he emphasizes that he loves all his children and values his family.

Why it matters

Cannon's personal life has been a subject of intense public fascination, with his rapidly expanding family raising questions about the motivations and implications behind his choices. The actor's candid admission about the role of unresolved trauma sheds light on the complex emotional factors that can influence major life decisions, particularly in the public eye.

The details

Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey married in 2008 after a whirlwind romance, and they welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe in 2011. However, the couple separated in 2014 and officially divorced in 2016. After the split, Cannon went on to have 10 more children with different women between 2017 and 2022, including three with Brittany Bell, twins with Abby De La Rosa, a son with Alyssa Scott who tragically passed away, and children with Bre Tiesi and LaNisha Cole. Cannon has acknowledged that this rapid expansion of his family was connected to unresolved trauma from his divorce, as he tried to 'figure it out' in different areas of his life instead of taking time to properly heal.

  • Cannon and Carey married in 2008.
  • Moroccan and Monroe Cannon were born in 2011.
  • Cannon and Carey separated in 2014.
  • Cannon and Carey officially divorced in 2016.
  • Cannon welcomed his first child after the divorce, son Golden 'Sagon' Cannon, with Brittany Bell in 2017.

The players

Nick Cannon

An American actor, comedian, rapper, and television host who has welcomed 12 children with different women since his divorce from Mariah Carey in 2014.

Mariah Carey

An American singer, songwriter, and actress who was married to Nick Cannon from 2008 to 2016, with whom she shares twins Moroccan and Monroe.

Brittany Bell

A former Miss Arizona U.S.A. who has three children with Nick Cannon: son Golden 'Sagon' Cannon, daughter Powerful Queen, and son Rise Messiah Cannon.

Abby De La Rosa

A model and DJ who has twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir Cannon, as well as daughter Beautiful Zeppelin Cannon, with Nick Cannon.

Alyssa Scott

A model who had a son, Zen, with Nick Cannon, who tragically passed away at 5 months old due to a rare brain cancer. She also has a daughter, Halo Marie Cannon, with Cannon.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't get a chance to slow down until I got in therapy. But I was just like, 'Look, I just got to keep making money. I got to stay hot. I got to stay funny.' And everything else figured itself out. And I just didn't do the work. So then I looked up with 12 kids later. Wow, I could have done things very differently.”

— Nick Cannon, Actor

“I stand firm on all of my decisions because I love all my kids. I love my family infrastructure. But I know it all started from a place of pain and not really healing properly... It wasn't like I was acting out. It was more of being careless, being frivolous with my process, because I could do it, because I had the money, because I had the access to whoever and however I wanted to move.”

— Nick Cannon, Actor

What’s next

Cannon has said he is continuing to work on his mental health through therapy, with the goal of being the best father he can be to all of his children.

The takeaway

Cannon's story highlights the complex emotional and psychological factors that can influence major life decisions, especially in the public eye. His candid admission about the role of unresolved trauma in his rapidly expanding family serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing personal healing and well-being, even in the face of external pressures and expectations.