BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 25: Oprah Winfrey (L) and recording artist Nick Cannon attend the 2016 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood awards luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on February 25, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California.  (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Nick Cannon talks about his awkward Oprah moment
01:18 - Source: CNN
CNN  — 

Nick Cannon says his children are aware of police brutality and are fearful.

Cannon recently spoke with “Access Hollywood” about his participation in demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, 46, died while in police custody after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest.

Cannon recently traveled to Minneapolis to protest.

“I even got some pushback for this, which you know I don’t care what people think about me or what they say about me, but I made a statement that my children fear police,” Cannon told “Access Hollywood” about what he called the “stay alive” talk many black parents have with their children regarding interacting with police. “It’s a real statement.”

Cannon shares nine-year-old twins Monroe and Moraccan with his ex-wife, singer Mariah Carey. He welcomed son Golden “Sagon” Cannon with ex-girlfriend Brittany Bell in 2017.

He said he tries to “teach fearlessness” to his kids.

“I try to teach you have a power within you that you need to fear nothing, but when they see the energy of law enforcement, it’s, ‘Uh, oh, here comes the police!’” Cannon said. “Or that mindset of, ‘Sit up straight! Don’t talk! Keep your hands where they can see…’ These are things that I’m talking to a 3-year-old about or a 9-year-old about and they bring those questions to me.”

“The Masked Singer” host said he believes the perceptions young people have about police have changed.

“It has definitely changed to where they perpetuate fear,” Cannon said of law enforcement. “It’s hurtful to have those conversations with your children, but you want to protect them at the end of the day.”