Cannon was born in San Diego, California, to 17 year old accountant Beth Gardner (née Hackett), and James Cannon, a televangelist who hosted a public access TV ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a child, Cannon divided his time between living with mother and grandmother in San Diego and with his father in Charlotte. He began performing at age eight, and at the age of eleven, he landed a spot on his father's cable access program performing stand-up comedy. Cannon then formed "Da Bomb Squad", a rap duo with his best friend Steve Groves. Together, they opened for the likes of Will Smith, LFO, 98 Degrees, and Montell Jordan. When Cannon was in his mid-teens, he moved to Hollywood, where he performed stand up at The Improv, The Laugh Factory, and the Comedy Store.