NICK Cannon has joked that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s relationship started years before the pair got married with a couple of cheeky throwback photos.

The 36-year-old America’s Got Talent host – and ex-husband of Mariah Carey – opened up the vaults of his personal photograph collection for a flashback on Thursday.

4Nick Cannon posted some throwback photos on Instagram on ThursdayCredit: Getty Images

First he shared a group shot of himself with a trio of ladies – including Kim, Paris Hilton and the rap star Lil Kim.

Simply titling the snap as “Whoa!!!” along with the hashtag “TBT” fans were impressed to see Nick with the ladies back in the day.

Moments later he uploaded a second snap, from the same event which was in celebration of Vanity Fair’s 67th Annual International Best Dressed List, with himself, Lil Kim, and a suit and tie wearing Kanye.

Questioning if the magic between Kim and Kanye could have started years before the pair wed in 2014, Nick wrote: “Same Night!!! Could it have…. Nah!!! LOL”.

Indeed, Kim was best mates with Paris Hilton back in 2003 when she served as a personal assistant to the hotel heiress – and over a decade before she found love with rap star Kanye.

The night – in which Kanye was included in the coveted Best Dressed list – saw Lil Kim sandwiched by Kanye and Nick for a photo opportunity.

Further images showed the TV host and his lady friends threw themselves into the party spirits, dancing and drinking the night away.

4Lil Kim found herself surrounded by Kanye West and Nick CannonCredit: Getty Images – WireImage4Paris Hilton led the charge when it came to partyingCredit: Getty Images – WireImage4Kim Kardashian served as Paris Hilton’s personal assistant in the early naughtiesCredit: Getty Images – WireImage

Nick himself has boasted about bedding the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star when they dated between September 2006 and January 2007.

The Best Dressed party took place in September 2006 – which is the month Kim and Nick were said to have got together.

Kim had already been married once at this time – divorcing record producer Damon Thomas in 2004 after wedding in 2000 – and was yet to be made famous by her sex tape with Celebrity Big Brother star Ray J which was filmed in 2003 but not leaked until 2007.

Details from Nick were spilled during a controversial radio interview in 2014, where he joked: “You just forgot because there have been a lot of people since me.”

His sex confessional was attributed to be a contributing factor in the ultimate demise in his relationship with Mariah Carey – who filed for divorce from him just months after he talked about his former conquest.

However, the pair remain close and co-parent five-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe.