Nick Cannon has shared his love of hip hop since forming his first music project back in the late 90s, by the name of “Da G4 Dope Bomb Squad”. It’s obvious that his loyalty to the culture hasn’t diminished a bit when listening to any of the newly released singles. Congratulating him on his success concerning the songs that he is releasing, he called his project a “constant living, breathing organism of music.” Not an album, but an energy with a consciousness all its own. Depth. He went onto elaborate on the “Fuck Him” Trilogy that he’s working on, and remarked about it being “the same concept as what Usher did with ‘Confessions’, and what R. Kelly did with ‘Trapped in the Closet’.”
The tone in his voice picked up as he shared his excitement. “It’s gonna play out the whole relationship through three short films that we are getting together now, so we’re really excited about that.”
In addition to the trilogy, Nick has a real throw to hip hop with the song “Only You” with Fat Joe and DJ Luke. “It’s going crazy all over the radio. People are loving that one. It’s a summer record. It’s getting everyone ready for the hot weather.”
Having not seen him in the forefront, one may think he has taken a hiatus from being a recording artist, but on the contrary, Nick states, “It’s funny, I wouldn’t say that I’ve taken a hiatus from music, it’s just that other things, other successes have possibly overshadowed what I’ve been doing in music. From the movies to tv, but I’ve never stopped doing music. I’ve been djing all over the country for a decade or more. Producing and discovering artists like Kehlani and H.E.R., cultivating their music… I’ve been able to give people like that an opportunity by producing behind the scenes with my label NCREDIBLE… but now I’m kind of jumping out in front as well and showing people where it all spawned from. Taking the front seat as an artist and a musician at the same time.”
As Nick reflects on producing music for Kehlani, he briefly explains how he not only met her, but was in a position to help her out in such a way that provided her with the support to not only make it in the industry, but keep a roof over her head as well. “Kehlani was someone that I was introduced to when I was hosting “America’s Got Talent” and she went pretty far on the show, but didn’t win. She was only 15 at the time and then like a year later I got a call from H.E.R.’s father, they are all from the same area in the Bay over in Oakland, CA, and he told me like, ’Yo man, you know that girl that was on your show, she’s not doing so well. She’s homeless, and she got kicked out of the group that she once stood up for.’ It tugged at my heartstrings and I said that we had to go get her. We gotta go find her. From that process, I put in the phone call and we got through it. I told her to finish high school and we’ll handle the rest. I put her in the studio for the first time and the rest is history.”
When discussing the situation and being told he had a big heart, his response was simple: “I mean, that’s the thing. People gave me an opportunity, so I have to pay it forward in that same way. It’s a cycle of energy. If people look out for you and give you a platform, then you gotta do the same for others.”
Aside from how he started with Kehlani, he gave a very thorough answer as to how he selects artists and what characteristics they have to possess that make him want to work with them. He stated that, “Talent is probably the secondary thing. But first and foremost I’m looking for drive. That’s that IT FACTOR. That’s that STAR FACTOR. That’s the quality that people talk about when you walk into a room and you know that person is going places. That person is going to be something, regardless. This person has a certain type of zeal that attracts success. That attracts energy towards them, so that’s kind of what I look for. That special inner CHI that one would know how to exude.” So there you have. It’s not all about talent.
EMPOWERING OTHERS
His dedication to helping Kehlani and cultivating other artists exhibits his loyalty to the culture, but it doesn’t stop there. Because of this drive to help and make a difference, Nick started the Nick Cannon Foundation, which is dedicated to helping children. He explains, “I have always been an advocate for the youth in every aspect. Empowering our communities and being able to inspire and provide people with the proper tools to make something out of nothing. [I wanted]… to create these platforms and at the same have goals like having my own children’s hospital, my own school system. That’s what I’m working towards. I do a lot of work with the children’s miracle network and I’m on the board of St. Mary’s children’s hospital. I am on many non-profit boards and organizations to help build up our community on the south side of Chicago, Compton, Southeast San Diego, North Carolina, Washington, DC. I speak in the prison systems in California as well as the DC jail weekly, through my program and class at Howard University. I’m in that system every week dealing with incarcerated brothers and sisters in there. It is really is about taking charge, taking pride, and taking control of our own narrative and empowering our original people, and knowing that we can beat these systemic issues and these problems that we’re placed with each and every day.” His vision is simple, it seems, help others to help themselves, and then pay it forward. This is a man dedicated to the culture on several levels, and his desire to create change by empowering others in obvious.
Having created a song empowering women during the current women’s movement called “Motivation,” it was only fitting to discuss what inspired him to create it. When asked, Nick goes on to say, “I put my great-grandmother in the video. She was the one that really inspired me for the video and the message by creating balance in hip-hop and being something more than a platform to call women bitches and hoes and thots. And not to say that I’m judging because I have done all of that. But it’s about creating balance. I mean, if we’re going to be out there with this art form and be a reflection of society, then we have to show all sides of society. My grandmother encouraged me to make music that my 6 yr old daughter can listen to and be inspired by, and something that my 98 yr old great grandmother can be empowered by and motivated by. That’s what the song’s motivation is all about and where it comes from.”
SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR
His mention of living organisms, inner chi, and motivation shows that his level of consciousness extends to the spiritual plane. When asked if he was a spiritual person, he replied, “Yes, I mean, I’ve kind of always been that way. I mean, I love every ideology and respect every way of life and every belief system. Personally, I choose to explore spirituality in a way where it is an ongoing journey for me and I’m constantly learning, and studying and meditating. I’ve studied so many religions and spirituality, and I believe that there is a commonality through it all.”
And there’s this cosmic universe that we all have to subscribe to. It’s speaking through us in a way that it’s definitely a positive and negative approach, and I choose to try to flow on the positive frequency as much as possible. “His answer to the question made it very clear as to how he had been able to survive the ebb and flow of the industry and still remain balanced. Staying grounded and motivated is how he has been able to not only maintain his deal with Republic Records but have the relationship grow. “The people at Republic Records always believed in me. I’ve signed quite a few artists over there, but now, to be able to have NCREDIBLE/Republic, it’s a big deal.” And it doesn’t stop there. The longevity and success of Wild N Out prove that it takes a wide range of attributes to make it in the industry, which explains why the show has been on for 13 seasons. “It was really for me to have with my friends. Guys like Kat Williams and Kevin Hart. We all used to hang out at the comedy club together and crack jokes and freestyle rap and turned it all around and made some very cool content that has gone on to span over a decade.”
Keeping a sense of humor and remaining spiritually grounded are key to any success, and it is through his work that Nick shows the world that you can do it all.
Most don’t know the depth of Nick’s contributions to the culture, for he is not just an entertainer, he is a socially and spiritually conscious individual that is willing to put his best foot forward and create necessary change. Whether it through his philanthropy or his art, Nick Cannon is a man of integrity and character, and it’s within his resolve and inner chi that you’ll find the building blocks for his many successes.
Being the renaissance man that he is, he offers a lot to the culture and at this point, having 20 years in the industry, there is no telling what else he will contribute.
Dakari Eli
