Nick Cannon Opens Up About Insecurities During Marriage to Mariah Carey

Nick Cannon recently shared his insecurities during his marriage to Mariah Carey. The former couple, parents to twins Moroccan and Monroe, were married from 2008 to 2016, finalizing their divorce after separating in 2014. Cannon, 44, admits that living in Carey’s superstar shadow took a toll on his self-esteem.

Cannon stated, "I didn’t actually really care what the world thought" about their marriage's public perception. However, he felt internal pressure that led him to ask, "Who am I?" Getting married in his 20s to such an iconic figure felt daunting. "My trajectory was down here, and she’s in a different stratosphere," he reflected, recalling sleepless nights filled with self-doubt about his identity.

He questioned his personal ambitions even as he enjoyed the luxurious lifestyle that marriage afforded him. Cannon recalled, "She got islands, and I was waking up at noon with people bringing me steaks." Despite this comfort, he felt it lacked the hustle he desired.

As a father, he experienced further conflict, stating, "Your manship is like, wait, I’m carrying a purse; the diaper bag." He observed how Carey carried her alpha-presenting attitude and decided he was not that supporting figure. Cannon believed she "needs a dude like that," but he did not fit that role.

Cannon aspired to be a supportive husband and father during their marriage but often felt like a "participant in her world." He described feeling like he was losing himself, stating he felt "muscle atrophy" and wasn’t fulfilling his potential. "The love kept me there," he explained, while also acknowledging a deep yearning for something more fulfilling.

Although their marriage has ended, Cannon and Carey maintain an amicable relationship. In her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she noted, "Honestly, I think Nick and I could have worked it out... but egos and emotions got inflamed." She confirmed their commitment to keeping their family dynamic positive and stable, stating, "We will always be family, and we make it work."