Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Nick Cannon

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Nick Cannon

Discover the career path of Nick Cannon, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Nick Cannon is a multifaceted American entertainer known for his work as a comedian, television presenter, actor, and rapper. He gained prominence on Nickelodeon with shows like All That and The Nick Cannon Show. Cannon has hosted popular programs such as Wild 'n Out, America's Got Talent, The Masked Singer, and Lip Sync Battle Shorties. As an actor, he has appeared in films including Drumline, Love Don't Cost a Thing, and Roll Bounce, demonstrating his versatility in the entertainment industry.

2001: Signing with Jive Records and Jimmy Neutron Soundtrack Feature

In 2001, after signing with Jive Records, Nick Cannon was featured on the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius soundtrack with Romeo Miller and 3LW, covering the song "Parents Just Don't Understand".

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2003: Commercial Success with "Gigolo" and Debut Album

In 2003, Nick Cannon achieved commercial success with his single "Gigolo" (featuring R. Kelly), which reached the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. This led to the release of his self-titled debut studio album in 2003 under Jive Records.

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2003: Release of Debut Album

In 2003, Nick Cannon released his self-titled debut album, which included the single "Your Pops Don't Like Me (I Really Don't Like This Dude)".

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July 2005: Release of "Can I Live?" Single

In July 2005, Nick Cannon released "Can I Live?", an anti-abortion (pro-life) song, as the first single from his planned second studio album, Stages.

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2005: Creation, Production, and Hosting of Wild 'n Out

In 2005, Nick Cannon created, produced, and hosted the MTV improv comedy series Wild 'n Out. Also in 2005, he hosted the slime stunt on Nickelodeon's 2005 Kids' Choice Awards.

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March 2006: Release of "Dime Piece" Single

In March 2006, Nick Cannon released "Dime Piece" as the second single from his planned album, Stages, which was ultimately never released due to his focus on his acting career.

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2006: Release of Singles for Unreleased Album

In 2006, Nick Cannon released two singles, "Dime Piece" and "My Wife," intended for his follow-up album Stages, though the album was ultimately never released.

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December 11, 2009: Hosting the Nickelodeon HALO Awards

On December 11, 2009, Nick Cannon co-hosted the Nickelodeon HALO Awards with Justin Timberlake, Hayden Panettiere, LeBron James, Kelly Rowland, and Alicia Keys.

2009: Chairman of TeenNick

In 2009, Nick Cannon became the chairman of the TeenNick channel for Nickelodeon, also serving as its development and creative consultant.

2009: Formation of NCredible Entertainment

In 2009, Nick Cannon established NCredible Entertainment after ending his previous label, Can-I-Ball Records.

2009: Host of America's Got Talent

In 2009, Nick Cannon started as the host of America's Got Talent.

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January 19, 2010: Hosting Morning Show at 92.3 NOW FM

On January 19, 2010, Nick Cannon began hosting the morning show (6–10AM) at 92.3 NOW FM (WXRK-FM) in New York, alongside co-hosts Nikki and Southern Sarah Lee.

July 13, 2010: Announcement of Comedy Tour

On July 13, 2010, Nick Cannon announced that he was planning to go on a comedy tour in the fall of 2010, starting at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal.

2010: Creation of "Slick Nick" Parody Character

In 2010, Nick Cannon created "Slick Nick," a parody of hip hop artist Slick Rick. He released two songs under this character, including a diss track aimed at Eminem.

2010: Creation and Co-Hosting of The Nightlife

In 2010, Nick Cannon created and co-hosted the short-lived TeenNick original series The Nightlife.

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May 14, 2011: Premiere of Mr. Showbiz Comedy Special

On May 14, 2011, Nick Cannon's first stand-up comedy special, Mr. Showbiz, premiered on Showtime. It was recorded at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

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May 16, 2011: Digital Release of Mr. Showbiz

On May 16, 2011, a digital release of Nick Cannon's Mr. Showbiz became available on iTunes.

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May 31, 2011: Physical Release of Mr. Showbiz Album

On May 31, 2011, a physical release of the Mr. Showbiz album by Nick Cannon became available.

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July 4, 2011: Hosting Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

On July 4, 2011, Nick Cannon hosted Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an annual American competitive eating competition.

December 6, 2011: Release of Child of the Corn Mixtape

On December 6, 2011, Nick Cannon released his debut mixtape, Child of the Corn.

2011: Public service and Celebrity spokesperson

In 2011, Nick Cannon filmed a public service announcement for DoSomething and since 2011 has served as the celebrity spokesperson for the National Association of Letter Carriers' annual national food drive.

February 17, 2012: Stepping Down from 92.3 NOW FM

On February 17, 2012, Nick Cannon stepped down from his hosting role at 92.3 NOW FM, citing health issues.

November 12, 2012: MTV2 Announces Revival of Wild 'N Out

On November 12, 2012, MTV2 announced the revival of Wild 'N Out, produced by Nick Cannon's NCredible Entertainment.

November 30, 2012: Signing a Deal with NBCUniversal

On November 30, 2012, Nick Cannon signed a deal with NBCUniversal to produce scripted and unscripted material for the network.

December 1, 2012: Launch of TeenNick Top 10 on TeenNick

On December 1, 2012, Nick Cannon launched and hosted the TeenNick Top 10 on TeenNick, counting down ten popular videos of the week.

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2012: Creation of Incredible Crew

In 2012, Nick Cannon created the sketch-comedy series Incredible Crew for TeenNick, writing and producing the theme song. The show was produced by Cartoon Network Studios, in association with NCredible Entertainment and aired 13 episodes before cancellation.

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January 29, 2013: Filming Wild 'N Out Episode in NYC

On January 29, 2013, Big Boi confirmed via Twitter that he was filming an episode of Wild 'N Out in NYC, inviting people to join the audience.

July 9, 2013: Premiere of Wild 'N Out Season 5

On July 9, 2013, Season 5 of Wild 'N Out premiered, achieving the highest ratings in MTV2 history.

July 26, 2013: Premiere of "Me Sexy" and Announcement of New Album

On July 26, 2013, Nick Cannon premiered his new single "Me Sexy" and announced that he was working on a new second studio album titled White People Party Music, featuring collaborations with Afrojack, Pitbull, Future, and Polow da Don, years after his previous album, Stages, was shelved.

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November 4, 2013: Master of Ceremonies at Ebony Magazine Power 100 Awards

On November 4, 2013, Nick Cannon served as the master of ceremonies and was also an honoree at the annual Ebony Magazine Power 100 Awards.

February 11, 2014: Release of "Looking for a Dream" Single

On February 11, 2014, Nick Cannon released "Looking for a Dream," featuring Afrojack, as the second single from his album White People Party Music.

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2014: Hosting Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon

In 2014, Nick Cannon began hosting Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon on NBC.

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2014: Release of White People Party Music Album

In 2014, Nick Cannon released his second album, White People Party Music, through RED Distribution and his NCredible Entertainment label.

December 2015: Appointment as Chief Creative Officer of RadioShack

In December 2015, Nick Cannon was appointed as "Chief Creative Officer" of RadioShack, with a focus on appealing to a younger audience. His role included creating RadioShack-exclusive products and enhancing the in-store experience.

August 4, 2016: Wild 'N Out Returns for 8th Season

On August 4, 2016, Wild 'N Out returned for its 8th season after three record-breaking seasons.

November 7, 2016: Release of "If I Was Your Man" Music Video

On November 7, 2016, Nick Cannon released the music video for his single "If I Was Your Man," in anticipation of his mixtape, The Gospel of Ike Turn Up: My Side of the Story.

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November 16, 2016: Release of The Gospel of Ike Turn Up Mixtape

On November 16, 2016, Nick Cannon released his second mixtape, The Gospel of Ike Turn Up: My Side of the Story.

December 2, 2016: Release of "Hold On" Single

On December 2, 2016, Nick Cannon released a single called "Hold On" on iTunes.

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2016: Nick Cannon Steps Down as Host of America's Got Talent

In 2016, Nick Cannon announced he would not return to America's Got Talent in 2017, citing creative differences with NBC executives.

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2017: Resignation from America's Got Talent

In 2017, despite initial reluctance, NBC accepted Nick Cannon's resignation as host of America's Got Talent due to creative differences. He was replaced by Tyra Banks.

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March 17, 2018: End of TeenNick Top 10 Airing

On March 17, 2018, the TeenNick Top 10 series, hosted by Nick Cannon, aired its final episode as TeenNick phased out all original programming.

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December 9, 2019: Release of Eminem Diss Track "The Invitation"

On December 9, 2019, Nick Cannon released "The Invitation," a diss track aimed at Eminem, as a response to Eminem's feature on Fat Joe and Dre's "Lord Above." The track featured Suge Knight, Hitman Holla, Charlie Clips, and Prince Eazy.

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2019: Announcement of Daytime Talk Show

In 2019, it was announced that Nick Cannon would debut his own syndicated daytime talk show in 2020, produced by Lionsgate's Debmar-Mercury and NCredible Entertainment.

July 14, 2020: Firing by ViacomCBS

On July 14, 2020, ViacomCBS fired Nick Cannon after he made racist and anti-Semitic remarks on his podcast "Cannon's Class" with Professor Griff, promoting conspiracy theories and citing Louis Farrakhan.

2020: Announcement of Daytime Talk Show

In 2020, it was announced that Nick Cannon would debut his own syndicated daytime talk show. The show premiered on September 27, 2021.

February 5, 2021: Wild 'n Out resumes production with Cannon as host

On February 5, 2021, ViacomCBS announced that "Wild 'n Out" would resume production with Nick Cannon as host after he took responsibility for his previous comments and educated himself through conversations with Jewish leaders.

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September 27, 2021: Premiere of 'Nick Cannon' Talk Show

After a hiatus due to controversy, the 'Nick Cannon' talk show premiered on September 27, 2021, with Fox Television Stations as a key partner.

March 2022: Cancellation of 'Nick Cannon' Talk Show

In March 2022, the 'Nick Cannon' daytime talk show was cancelled.

May 27, 2022: Final Episode of 'Nick Cannon' Talk Show

On May 27, 2022, the final episode of the 'Nick Cannon' talk show aired, featuring Carrie Ann Inaba as a guest.