Nick Cannon Picks Controversial Artist R. Kelly To Battle Ex Mariah Carey In Verzuz

It’s not like Nick Cannon hasn’t said shocking things before but for some reason this one hits different. The Wild N’ Out host recently shared that the only artist he can see going hit for hit with his ex-wife Mariah Carey is R. Kelly who is currently awaiting sentencing for vile alleged sexual assaults against minors. “Who could go against Mariah? Sh-t, I don’t think any—” confessed Cannon to Charlamagne Tha God when he stopped by The Breakfast Club. The host named a few artists who have been suggested in the past like Mary J. Blige. However, Cannon had another artist in mind.

Before the actor shared the controversial name with the team at The Breakfast Club, he acknowledged that he was entering hot territory and would for sure be opening a “can of worms”. After much hesitation, he claimed that the only other person “who has the level of talent and hits” is Kelly. Before the hosts could jump down his throat he explained. “Mariah writes. That’s why people gotta understand. Mariah’s a musician. I’m not impressed by people who could perform songs that it took thirty people to make with you.” Charlamagne immediately pointed out that he was leaving out a bevy of talent if he is going that route including Beyonce and Michael Jackson.

The sometimes rapper doubled down on his opinion “The greatest are the ones who — you can put somebody in a room by their damn selves, and they come out with a hit,” making sure to shout out Stevie Wonder as the only person who no one will ever be able to do a Verzuz with. Quickly retreating back to Carey, he reiterated. “The only person in this day and age…that could have gone against Mariah Carey – because she writes all of her songs, she actually produces all of her songs, she puts the songs together and performs them at a high level – R. Kelly.”

The room was silent for a solid 5 seconds which is hard to do on a radio show like The Breakfast Club. Thankfully DJ Envy snapped everyone back to reality by noting that at this point, “that ain’t gonna happen.” Cannon also made sure to acknowledge that Kelly had his own “personal endeavors” but let’s call a spade a spade he is busy being indicted on 22 federal criminal charges. More specifically, legal documents claim that Kelly was busy “abusing 11 girls and women over the course of more than two decades, from 1994 to 2018.” As of recently, new accusations from two males claim that the “Bump N’ Grind” singer assaulted them as minors as well.

Cannon read the room and got the conversation back on track and out of the dark AF place that the proud “seed spreader” took it to. “Even people talk about like Mariah and Janet [Jackson], on that level of ‘diva,’ I would love to see.” But in true fashion, he just couldn’t help but bask in what a great battle it would be to see Carey and Kelly face off. “The only other person I can think of that has that ability was R. Kelly,” said Cannon of their “matching talents”. He also made sure to throw in that “we still got to acknowledge that the man was gifted.”