Nick Cannon Discovers His "Great-Grandfather Was A Spanish Rabbi"

Following his controversy over his remarks about Jewish people, Cannon said he learned that he comes from a "Black and Jewish" family.

BYErika Marie
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While continuing on with his efforts to reconcile with the Jewish community, Nick Cannon made a surprising revelation about his family tree. The media mogul recently faced an onslaught of backlash after he made disparaging comments about Jewish people, but he came forward to apologize for his statements and since then, he's been on a crusade to learn as much as he can from community leaders. On Monday (August 10), Cannon appeared on the American Jewish Committee’s online program AJC Advocacy Anywhere and shared that he'd recently found out that he has Jewish roots.

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Last month, following his controversy, ViacomCBS decided to cut ties with Cannon after decades of working together. After the shocking disbanding of a longtime partnership, Cannon told Rabbi Noam Marans that he was told about his family's history by his mother. “My great-grandfather was a Spanish rabbi. He’s a Sephardic Jewish man."

“So, as much heat as I’ve been catching from the public and the outside, this hit home for my family in a real way because I come from a Black and Jewish family on my mother’s side," Cannon revealed. “A lot of people may have been upset that I apologized, but I feel like that’s what someone of true character is actually supposed to do when they hurt someone. Now, let’s get through this process of truth and reconciliation."

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Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.