The 46-year-old entertainer discussed the dispute during an appearance on the On Par with Maury Povich podcast on Monday, November 9. Cannon reflected on the years of exchanges between himself and Eminem, who previously claimed to have dated Carey before she married Cannon in 2008.
"He disrespected my woman, man! You can't come at my wife and don't expect to get this work," Cannon said.
The Wild 'n Out host suggested that Eminem and Carey had shared a professional relationship, which the rapper later described as romantic.
Cannon married Carey, 57, in April 2008. The couple welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe, now 15, before separating in 2014. Their divorce was finalized in 2016.
The tension between Eminem, 54, and Carey dates back to the early 2000s. The rapper claimed they had been romantically involved for approximately six or seven months, although Carey consistently denied the allegations.
In a 2002 interview with Larry King, Carey said she had met Eminem a handful of times but did not consider their interactions a relationship.
"I think I was probably with him a total of four times," she explained. "And I don't consider that dating somebody."
The disagreement eventually spilled into their music. Carey appeared to mock Eminem in her 2002 song "Clowns," while the rapper responded with lyrical jabs in subsequent releases.
In 2009, Carey released "Obsessed," whose music video appeared to reference Eminem. The rapper later responded with "The Warning," which also targeted Cannon.
Eminem's song "Bagpipes from Baghdad" further intensified the dispute, prompting Cannon to publicly defend his wife.
Speaking to Maury Povich, Cannon said he felt compelled to respond because he believed Eminem had crossed a line.
"I was like, the dignity of my woman, man! I had to fight for my relationship, my love," he recalled.
Despite the heated exchanges, Cannon revealed that the situation eventually cooled down. In 2019, he said Eminem had apologized and that the two could now joke about their past disagreements.
Cannon has also maintained that his relationship with Carey remains amicable following their divorce, with both prioritizing their children.
