Cannon received his first break doing stand-up comedy on his father's local cable access program. In 1998, he graduated from Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, where he was president of the African Student Coalition and participated in track and field. While in his teenage years, he was affiliated with the 'Lincoln Park Bloods' street gang, but stated that he left behind his affiliations after losing a close friend. As a child, Cannon grew up in Lincoln Park's Bay Vista Housing Projects, which is a gang-ridden section of Southeast San Diego. Cannon was largely raised by his paternal grandfather, whom both he and his biological father called 'dad'.
2.1 1999–2006: Music beginnings, Nick Cannon and Stages.
