On the latest episode of “Counsel Culture,” Nick Cannon and Dr. Umar Ifatunde Johnson—a Pan-Africanist—delved into Cannon’s approach to fatherhood and if he wants his children to follow his lead.
For those who have been living under a rock, Cannon has five daughters and seven sons with several different women—including ex-wife Mariah Carey. Over the last few years, Cannon has discussed his unconventional approach to child-rearing and has remained wholly unapologetic about it.
Of course, this instance was no different. It also reiterated the fact that Cannon is an over-sharer and needs to chronically have the spotlight on his personal life. “Counsel Culture” is just another platform for the actor to talk about himself.
In past episodes, the pair have discussed Cannon’s history of interracial dating, his narcissism, the benefits of polygamy, and his perceived slights to Black Americans perpetrated by Vice President Kamala Harris.
In the most recent clip shared to the “Counsel Culture” Instagram account, Dr. Umar asked Cannon about his children following in his footsteps when it comes to romantic relationships.
“Are you comfortable that your sons may take your example into the future for generations to come? And you’re fine with them taking your example?” Dr. Umar asked.
Cannon replied affirmatively, adding “You might have had me stumped if you would ask me about my five daughters.”
He goes on to tell Dr. Umar that he’s feel like he has “mastered the game.”
Clearly, there is a double standard here as Cannon stated that his daughters having children with multiple men would be a problem for him but his sons having children with multiple women is totally fine by him.
Dr. Umar didn’t try to push Cannon on this hypocrisy, but criticized how Cannon has executed parenting overall.
“Do you want your legacy to be, Brother Nick, 50 or 75 years from now, that you were the great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather of a kingdom of dysfunction that’s about 20 generations deep?” he asked.
“Who’s to say my kingdom is a kingdom of dysfunction?” Cannon retorted.
“By dysfunction, I mean you have children in different households with different women. That is not the ideal structure for a child in which to grow...if the father is modeling dysfunctional romantic patterns,” Dr Umar stated.
“You have seven sons, that’s seven kingdoms that you’re responsible for so this is bigger than Nick Cannon.”
Cannon obviously doesn’t care what others think about how he raises his children but knows it’s perfect fodder for his show. Dr. Umar also has a history of making incendiary remarks: In the past, Dr. Umar has said Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking case was a distraction from the election and that Black men date white women to feel “safe.”
Folks can choose to take Dr. Umar and Nick Cannon seriously, but it would be to their own personal detriment.