Prior to receiving his start in the entertainment world as an actor on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy show “All That,” Nick Cannon says he grew up in a neighborhood where being a gang member “was kinda the thing.”
The musician/actor says he never joined a gang, but was surrounded by gang culture while growing up in Southeast San Diego. He also recalled wearing certain colors during a time in which gang culture was heavily glorified.
“Man, you know what? I wouldn’t say I joined a gang,” Cannon said during an interview with Vlad TV. “It wasn’t like the Boys & Girls Club where you can walk up and sign up. I grew up in a neighborhood in Southeast San Diego—this public assistance area called Bay Vista. And that was kinda the thing. The cats you grew up with…Actually, if anything I was always trying to get away from it. Of course, during the early ‘90s when it was glorified I definitely was wearing my Dickies and certain colors and the Chucks.”
Before admitting that he’s never tried to glorify the gang lifestyle, Cannon revealed that it was a Blood set he grew up around.
“It was a Blood set, but it was one of those things where that’s the area that I grew up in,” he said. “I mean, even if you think of Southeast San Diego, the majority of the people from down there are from different Blood sets. So, it was one of those things where I never even tried to glorify that because I felt like I got out of that unscathed. I mean, I lost a lot of friends to senseless gang violence. A lot of people still locked up right now. So, I always try to downplay it and be like that cat that was allowed to get away from it.”
Lastly, the actor spoke on the moment when he realized that choosing a life as an entertainer in Hollywood far outweighed remaining in Southeast San Diego where shootings and other senseless acts of violence were very much present.
“I remember that day,” Cannon said when asked about being shot at. “It was interesting too cause it was a time actually during high school where I felt like I was at a crossroads. I actually remember even having this conversation with my family. Like ‘Yo, a lot of my friends are getting shot. A lot of people I know, close to me are dying. I have an opportunity to be in this entertainment thing.’ And obviously everybody wants to be successful at something. But when one day people are shooting. There’s drive-bys at your school. And you’re going to football games and not really making it home. And the next day you can take a train ride to Los Angeles and don’t have to deal with any of that cause you’re in Hollywood. Yo man, once Nickelodeon called I locked in. I forgot about all of that stuff.”
Nick Cannon’s interview with Vlad TV comes days after the April 1st release of his most recent project, White People Party Music. Cannon spoke briefly on the project during an interview with HipHopDX last month.
“If anybody thinks it’s a real risk, they’re ridiculous,” he said. “That’s the whole thing: It’s a title that creates conversation…I’m trying to show that that’s not really what it’s about. White people love me and they know how to have a good time. I’m just putting it all together.”
RELATED: Nick Cannon To Star As “Freeway” Rick Ross In An Upcoming Biopic
nick cannon a gigolo and a blood. shit that nigga got ties real deep real deep and he be gettin his dick wet mmhmm
same wit Game. Bloods have no standards.
This nigga from SAN DIEGO…SAN DIEGO again SAN DIEGO! Aint shit poppin off there but sunshine and Wealth you privilege ass lame.
ha..you UOENO about it …hahahaha…man, go to SD and see what its like..and i dont mean downtown
sigh…
OK you fucking retard, here’s what to do – go and listen to Mitchy Slick. Any Mitchy Slick track you want.
Also try searching for the Lincoln Park Bloods And their activities, then come back and revise your statement.
every city, especially major ones with over a million residents, has at least a few hoods.
LOL AT YOU ABVIOUSLY NOT KNOWING SHIT ABOUT THE 619. WHERE THEY MERK YOU AND BE OVER THE BORDER IN MINUTES
^ lol san Diego aint bout life chill.. now compton yea
wait isn’t mitchy slick from the bay? or did i miss that boat
nah he’s from SD
weird i just looked him up.. thought he was from the bay cause he always collabs with the bay cats
u sound dumb as fuck……I guarantee u would be quiet den a muafuka if was you in the town, dont be fooled… we got the most episodes of gangland and american gangster, that aint by accident stupid muafuka…..
lol whoever said san diego, a city of over 1 million, doesn’t have hoods is crazy. u can’t have 1000000 wealthy residents in a city. smh!
^^ LOL closer to 2mill if you count the all the illegals. southeast sd is like mexico…
but half yall dont make it past downtown.. which goes to show how bitchass you really are.
i went out to l.a. in ’92 and dude already had a damn billboard on sunset for his nickelodean show. he was already a start THEN. so what early 90’s is he talking about?
“we don’t believe you, you need more people” – jay z
Nick Cannon joined All That in 1998. Which billboard were you looking at?
triggeration station. *womp womp womp*
YEAH DAT!!! CLAK CLAK CLAK CLAK CLAK CLAK
A lot of people like to clown Nick Cannon because he acts funny and goofy but he more hood than some of these rappers
he seems like a cool guy just livin the dream. i heard him on howard stern last week. imagine growing up fantasizing about mariah carey and then marrying her
CHICAGO IS THE HOOD ! NOT SAN DIEGO! DETROIT IS THE HOOD NOT SAN DIEGO! ST. LOUIS IS THE HOOD NOT SAN DIEGO! PHILADELPHIA IS THE HOOD NOT SUNNY SAN DIEGO! SO STOP IT!.
so hoods only exist in places where theres less sun and its colder?
theres hoods everywhere how stupid are you?
There are “hoods” in every major city, stupid.
Well then come on Down youngsta, if you really think the Salty aint wit the business…
southeast sd is like mexico… which is far worse than any of those cities youve listed.
You firgot Compton!
The softest blood rapper ever
young thug? lil wayne? tyga? or did he switch to hoover?
I’m making over $7k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do… http://www.workbarr.com
clown this dude all you want. dude’s chick is finer than yours and his bank account is larger. i don’t fuck with his music but i respect his hustle.
She is a whale of a whore, fuck gay ass Nic Cannon
DAYUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!
Nigga please, there is nothing gangster about you clown. Nick Cannon is the whitest black person that ever lilved
So there are no white gangsters? Check yourself.javascript:void(null)
nick cannon is the only dude who could grow up around gangs and still end up a bitch ass nga
gangsters are bitches. if obama joined a gang will he be president. now tell me between obama and your gang sign throwing father who is the real man? See?
what about kendrick lolololol
cant forget nas
pussies worried about “gsngsters”
when they got militia groups, bikers, frat boys, and practice nepotism up the ass (literally too)
but they worried about blue and red that don’t even know they exist
how is obama a gangster, marxist, & a nazi at the same time who’s weak? lmffao @ you IDIOTS
thanks for showing us your true nature bigot boy
He’s now in the Mariah Piru’s.
Ill just let you silly muafukas find out the hard way…. the Town aint what u think when u cross the tracks….
DX puttin the article picture of this NICKELODEON ass clown in all red like he can relate and associate him self with the gangs lmaoooo lamest muthafucka on the surface…
Start working from home! Great job for students, stay-at-home moms or anyone needing an extra income… You only need a computer and a reliable internet connection… Make $90 hourly and up to $12000 a month by following link at the bottom and signing up… You can have your first check by the end of this week……….http://x.co/4IKvz
lol @ all the San Digaygans trying to defend how hood San Digaygo is.
willing to bet you ain’t from none of them parts
Digaygo=punk fuckboy talk
and I ain’t from there but been there
you pussy
Yeah… . I been to that place you are calling San Digaygo… shit ain’t gay my man. Hot ass girls walking around half naked at the beach all the time.. amazing herb and the beautiful weather year round. But I get it… you aren’t into any of those things so you couldn’t really appreciate it. Keep fucking those ugly bitches and smoking that dirt weed playa!
Start working from home! Great job for students, stay-at-home moms or anyone needing an extra income… You only need a computer and a reliable internet connection… Make $90 hourly and up to $12000 a month by following link at the bottom and signing up… You can have your first check by the end of this week………http://x.co/4IKwc
Motherfuckers are arguing over whose hood is worse lmao!
“My hood was on gangland 10 times mothafucka, WE HOOD HOMIE” lol pathetic ass fools.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Hey, everybody! Did you know that this 4/20 is Easter Sunday, 420, and also Hitler’s birthday? Here’s how I’m going to celebrate. I’m finna go to church in the morning, get stoned at 4:20 in the afternoon, then go back to the church that evening and destroy everything since Jesus was Jewish. Who’s with me?
Tell us where so we can meet you there!
Im from Compton, use to play Lincoln Prep in San Diego all the time in the 90’s in basketball, San Diego definitely has its hood blood niggaz don’t let the water sand and sun fool you, Cali is where that gang culture began and San Diego aint nothing but 2 hours south of Compton AND LA, I remember 200 bloods at one game.
No gang wanted this pansy.
He seriously just say he moved to LA to escape gang violence?
I grew up in a gang neighborhood in LA. After graduating high school I had to make a decision to either stay there and risk falling into the same lifestyle that gets so many young niggas killed, or I could try to make something of myself by enlisting in the Marine Corp.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but after a lot of thought I eventually decided enlisting in the USMC was the right choice. I completed my service, after which I used the money I received to go to college and gt a degree. I graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in finance. Now I work for a small investment management firm, making good money (I earn a good amount although nowhere near 6 figures).
I ain’t nothing special, but I do own my own home, drive a nice car, wear nice clothes, and help my moms pay her bills.
Ditto
good for you anon, keep being successful and happy
Thank you young grasshopper.
Too bad a lot of other young cats think that street life is cool. My hometown city isn’t big but i hear more kids getting killed from the age of 16-21. Sad I tell ya.
Nobody cares about your life story.
good shit, keep advancing so you get a 6figure salary and live the good life
Go write a book my neega, stop waiting my time with these autobiographical essays
respect to anyone that aint worried bout material bullshit the other person has n helps out they moms 999 outta 1000 drug dealers don’t last 2 or 3 years b4 death or prison come callin
I’m making over $7k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do… http://www.workbarr.com
Fuck the hood life! I am focusing on being successful and productive over here —->
Right, being productive while being on HHDX all day
^^^
Duh!
Don’t let me catch any of you in “the hood”. I roll up on you and check you bitch ass fools.
With my dick in your mouth right Batman?
Told you before Robin, I don’t get down like that. You’re out the click if you keep that shit up.
U nikkas is lame
Get a job, Calvin.
lmao seems like Nick Cannon ended up bringing something positive out of you HHDX niggaz, this is the first time I ain’t seeing no negative B.S. or niggas dissing each other’s comments
word lol
I wonder why Eminem refused to fight or even diss him back?
How very uneducated of you, Eminem had a very detailed diss towards Nic & his fat whale wife.
Born and raised in SD still here he isnt lying half of the people i went to high school with were Lincoln Park Bloods or Skyline Piru and theyre all from Southeast SD where hes from
I always disliked this cat…. until watching this video
me too I still aint like him much lol but he do be talkin sum real shit here id take being corny over doin life in a cell anyday I always thought this guy was from a rich family for sum reason
lmaooo this guy done pissed off most of the white folks who supported him now hes trying to get that black demographic back to buy his album lmaooooo
bet we see a name change in his album soon..if it ever releases
“now hes trying to get that black demographic back”
Wait, did he ever have a black audience??? O_o
Uh, white folk don’t like his punk ass & never have
Did this nigga try to claim he was a real nigga like gucci???????????????????????????????????? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahhhhhhhhhh ahahahahahahahahahah ahhhhhhh haaaaaaaaaaaa hahahahahahahaha
Nobody mentioned Gucci here but your obsessed gay fanboi ass
Interesting story. He portrays himself as a soft nigga so much I never knew he actually came from the hood.
Get lost Nick Cannon…
my roomate’s ex-wife makes $72 /hour on the computer .She has been unemployed for 10 months but last month her pay was $18524 just working on the computer for a few hvoursv.
check my source
=============================
http://WWW.WORKS12.COM
=============================
nick comes out about his childhood because the average wht person dont understand the storys in southern ca hoods. desean jackson has the same story that the eagle tried to make it into something else. nick is speaking for many entertainer who come from gang infested areas, and letting people know the obstacles a blk youth has to overcome.
“desean jackson has the same story that the eagle tried to make it into something else”
fuck outta here, the eagles knew where he was from, he was a bad team member so they canned him.
^This. Desean wasn’t a fit for the team no more. The media just hyped up the gang stuff.
damn homies, nicky cannon been banging 4 a minut now loc. gyeah, he from a piru set i seen him wearing they rags and colorz homie i seen dat shit.
This dude doesn’t deserve to have his name capitalized
Nick couldn’t make a funny to save his white ass lifestyle. Mariah has bigger guns than anything hes holdin. Hes got acne scars from stressing about who’s dik is sliming nick at night
Too bad you can’t speak English, I’d love to know what the fuck you’re talking about.
i can rspect nick cannon for that. southeast dago aint no joke. damu’s run that town
Thats the truth…100 bullet holes in a woman’s back coming home from church is senseless..ruthless out here
mexicans run dago not bloods
why are gangs so caught up in getting at each other. we should be getting at the real bitch asses, the IRS. yo they rob us everyday and get away with it. stop fighting each other and unite.
fuck the government
damn right
Start working from home! Great job for students, stay-at-home moms or anyone needing an extra income… You only need a computer and a reliable internet connection… Make $90 hourly and up to $12000 a month by following link at the bottom and signing up… You can have your first check by the end of this week…….http://x.co/4Icja
fuck you bitch eat a dick
fuck outta here nick. nobody believes you, you need more people
I lived in San Diego for 3 years and never even thought of going in those areas. Our cities are full of lost causes. People (mostly Black and Hispanic) killing over a neighborhood that they probably don’t even own the home they live in. Nick and anyone else who chose to distance himself from that bull is a success story no matter the legal occupation.
lol.. if thats true then why havnt you helped out your family to do the same? your know… your cousin from west coast crip! bitch ass nigga! you scared to even come around.. lol mark
Much respect to nick but he is not from Lincoln park bloods. Never was in a gang he went to Monte Vista high school and a performing arts school. He use to get chased home by a group called hoochie clan at Monte vista he lived in spring valley as well.
Yup they use to go to Skateland in Mission valley all the time with my cousins and Nick use to always wanna be down but he was a little buster, not to talk ish but Nick was always a little follower and wasn’t down to get into it if the time came, I have no clue why he has South East Tatted on his Arm, Im from South East and Im the same age as Nick and he NEVER came around, he was always in Spring Valley or out of town doing his acting stuff, some people just like to make up stuff, its ok to not have a hard life, its ok to never have gang banged, just leave it alone!
HA! Monte Vista/Spring Valley is by no means Southeast Dago. fake ass story!
That’s what I was thinking, but it looks like he lived in southeast and commuted to MVHS. I’ve lived behind MVHS for 16 years and I cant imagine that even in the 90’s there would be a drive by at Monte Vista. Maybe at high schools closer to his house where his friends have gone, but not MV. If hes gonna represent San Diego, he needs to be more clear. This whole article makes it sound like our neighbourhoods are trash when infact Spring Valley has more nice neighbourhoods than bad.