Nick Cannon Says Quincy Jones Predicted He’d ‘Get Tired’ of Having Only 2 Kids With Mariah Carey

Before he famously became the father of a dozen children, Nick Cannon was a dad to only the two kids he shares with superstar ex-wife Mariah Carey. But according to the actor, late friend Quincy Jones always knew that more kids were in his future. 

In a Vulture cover story published Tuesday (July 15), Cannon reflected on a few words of wisdom that the iconic producer passed on to him after they met in 2007 on the set of Nick Cannon’s Star Camp, on which Jones served as a mentor. “He used to talk to me when I only had two kids, and it was just me and Mariah,” began the Masked Singer host, who shares 14-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with Carey.

“He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s light work. You going to get tired of that soon,’” Cannon continued of Jones. “And I was like, ‘What do you mean? … I got an amazing wife who’s my dream girl!’”

According to the Drumline star, Jones replied, “I know your kind … You’re cut from the same cloth as me.”

The 28-time Grammy winner, who had seven kids of his own before dying at the age of 91 last November, would later become something of a blueprint for Cannon. “People ask, ‘Why you got 12 jobs?’ Because I’ve got 12 kids!” Cannon told the publication, citing how Jones reportedly left each of his children large inheritances. “I was like, ‘He did it right.’”

Cannon was married to Carey from 2008 to 2016, and they had their son and daughter in 2011. Following their split, the comedian would welcome 10 more kids with five other women. He shares Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen and Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell; Zion Mixolydian, Zillion Heir and Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa; Zen and Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott; Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi; and Onyx Ice with LaNisha Cole.

The Wild ‘n Out star has since said that he isn’t actively looking to father more babies — but, as he told Vulture, “I never say ‘never.’”

“I always say people have so many different opinions about my parenting and who I am as a father, but one thing I know is that whatever my children want to do, I can help cultivate and amplify,” he added to the publication. “It’s maybe not the traditional or conventional way of parenting. Everybody else says, ‘There’s no way he could spend all the time with them kids and be present for all them kids.’ But I’m doing my best, and where I fall short, hopefully the things that I do have that bring me an advantage, I can lend to them.”

See Cannon on the cover of Vulture below.