TMZ reports the 35-year-old rapper and US television host is refusing to sign divorce papers, nearly two years after he split with Carey, 46.

Cannon filed for divorce from the We Belong Together singer in December 2014, after the couple separated four months earlier.

It has previously been reported that the couple promptly sorted out a property settlement when the divorce papers were filed, and have already agreed to joint custody of their five-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, meaning all the marriage needs to officially disband is Cannon's signature.

It was reported in April 2015 that the couple's divorce had been "finalised", although these recent revelations suggest that is not the case.

Since the end of the couple's seven year marriage, Carey's career has gone from strength to strength.

She has been performing her Las Vegas residency show since May 2015, and has a reality television show in the works.

In addition, after a whirlwind romance, Carey has found herself engaged to James Packer, with the singer and her new businessman beau soft-launching their engagement in January (via a casual red carpet flash of a 35-carat engagement ring, no less).

However, while Carey has found a new life for herself on board Packer's Arctic P, the same cannot be said for Cannon.

He is still hosting his 'funniest home videos'-style television show, Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon, and judging America's Got Talent, but - despite Cannon being spotted with model Winnie Harlow last year - there have been no reports of a new romance.

Speaking on the Ellen Show in December, Cannon said he would like to meet Packer, 48.

"I think that would be cool. It's still like, we've all talked about it and stuff. It seems like it's cool."

Cannon told the program that he and Carey had spent Thanksgiving dinner together with their children, although Packer was not in attendance.

Fairfax Media