Nick Cannon Debuts New Tattoo of Baby Zen as an Angel

Nick Cannon is honoring late son Zen with a touching tattoo tribute. The television host, 41, unveiled his new body art on The Nick Cannon Show Friday, just days after the 5-month-old passed away due to brain cancer and a subsequent tumor. The artwork shows Zen as an angel and took nearly six hours to complete, Cannon revealed, beginning around 7:30 p.m. Thursday and finishing at about 1 a.m. 

“Last night, I got the opportunity to get a tattoo of my son, Zen, as an angel on my rib. I’m still all bandaged up. It hurts right here right now,” Cannon shared, adding, “It was a lot of pain but so well worth it. I enjoyed every moment of the experience to forever have my son right here on my rib, on my side. As my angel.”

Cannon’s tribute comes just three days after he shared with the audience of his show Tuesday that his son with Alyssa Scott, whom they welcomed in June, had passed away following a private health battle. The Masked Singer host would go on to tell viewers he was “a little scared to share the information about Zen” on the show for a few reasons.

“Initially, just because I knew it is difficult to keep it all together,” he explained. “But then the thing that I still struggle with every day, is that I never want to feel exploited. I never want to feel like I’m using this as content. I’m definitely not a woe-is-me type of person. I’m usually a kind of guy that keeps it all in and I’m like, ‘I’m good,’ even though I’m not good.”

Scott has also been mourning her late son, sharing on Instagram Thursday a video of Zen with his big sister. “Oh my sweet Zen. …These last 5 months we have been in this race together,” she wrote, adding, “We were a team, both determined to see it through. It feels unbearable running without you now. I can’t. And in this moment I feel myself being carried. By your sister.. By God. By complete strangers encouraging me to not give up . It has been an honor and privilege being your mommy.. I will love you for eternity.”