Actor Nick Cannon has opened up about his priorities as a father and his love for his blended family.
In a new interview, the father-of-12 said that humans are “put on this planet” to “guide and usher in your offspring”.
The Drumline actor and TV presenter told People: “Fatherhood is my number one and first priority when I open my eyes, when I get up every morning.”
“Career and work and all of that, take second.”
Cannon added that he is aware people view his lifestyle as “unorthodox” in some ways but his “goal in life” is to provide for his children.
“I understand that my lifestyle isn’t typical to society and can be viewed as unorthodox in some ways. But my goal in life is just to love my kids and be there for my kids and provide for them,” he said.
“Like I always say, I just love with abundance.”
The actor, who has 12 children in total, shares 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex Mariah Carey, whom he was married to from 2008 to 2016.
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He is also a father to sons Golden Sagon, six, and Rise Messiah Cannon, six months, and daughter Powerful Queen, two, with Brittany Bell.
He also shares twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, 21 months, and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin, four months, with Abby De La Rosa.
Cannon has a son, Legendary Love, eight months, with Bre Tiesi.
He has a five-month-old daughter Onyx Ice Cole with LaNisha Cole.
He’s also father to two children with Alyssa Scott, son Zen, who died at five months old in December 2021 after being diagnosed with brain cancer, and daughter Halo Marie, three months.
The American TV host recently sparked intense backlash from Taylor Swift fans after he joked he would be “all in” to having children with the singer.
Cannon, 42, discussed a hypothetical situation in which he’d have a child with Swift during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on 10 April.
The father-of-12 told Stern that he is unsure if more children are in his future, but that he’d “absolutely” be open to having a child with Swift who allegedly ended her six-year relationship with Joe Alywn, per reports.
“Nick, Taylor Swift wants to have a baby with you. Would that do it?” Stern asked the TV host. In response, Cannon said: “Absolutely! I’m in. Let’s go! I’m all in.”
Cannon was asked what it was about Swift that would convince him to become a father of 13 and he replied: “First of all, she’s an amazing songwriter. And what I do love about Taylor Swift is that she has been so vulnerable and open with all of her music since [she was] a young girl.”
He added that he and Swift had both “dated a lot of people in the public eye” so they would “probably understand each other”.
On social media, the segment was met with criticism from fans, with many accusing Cannon of “misogyny” over the comments about Swift.
“Get a job/stay away from her etc but also, please notice how he has decided that Taylor Swift’s body is available to him just because she’s single now,” one person tweeted. “This is how straight men display casual misogyny, in the guise of ‘jokes’.”