Singer Brian McKnight is getting slammed again by his ex-wife Julie McKnight and their son Brian McKnight Jr. again as the latter claims his dying brother, Niko McKnight requested their father say “I love you” before he passed from Stage 4 colon cancer. According to Brian Jr., their father replied, “I can’t arbitrarily say I love you.”
Brian McKnight’s Estranged Relationship With Eldest 4 Children
Brian McKnight — who shares sons Brian Jr. and Niko with Julie; daughter Briana McKnight with ex Patricia Driver; and son Clyde McKnight with an unidentified woman — has had an estranged relationship with his eldest four children for several years. In 2019, the 56-year-old R&B singer even called his eldest children “entitled.”
The singer’s tumultuous relationship with his eldest children even led him to legally change his name in October 2023 to become a senior to his then-newborn son, Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr., whom he shares with his wife, Leilani Mendoza. To be clear, Brian Sr. did this despite already being a senior to his eldest son, Brian Jr., 35, whom he shares with Niko’s mom, Julie, 53.
In April 2024, Brian Sr. went as far as to call his estranged biological children a “product of sin,” adding he would not claim them. During a Q&A on Instagram, he told fans, “In order to live a life that you love, you have to get rid of the evil and the negativity — even if that evil and negativity is related [to you].” The Q&A session led to Niko dragging his father on social media.
That same month, Brian Sr. also accused his ex-wife, Julie, of blocking his help amid Niko’s cancer battle. In May of that year, Niko slammed his father and fellow R&B legend Tyrese, who defended Brian Sr. after appearing to disown his children.
Brian McKnight’s Son Niko Passes After 2-Year Cancer Battle
Amid Brian McKnight’s estranged relationship with his children, his son Niko McKnight sadly passed on May 29, 2025. Niko’s mother Julie took to her Instagram to confirm the news of second son succumbing to a two-year battle with Stage 4 colon cancer. He was 32.
She captioned a photo of herself with Niko and Brian Jr. and said:
“Nikolas was a cherished husband, son, brother, grandson, uncle, and nephew whose warmth, laughter, and love touched the lives of all who knew him. Nikolas was a self taught artist of music and photography. His passing is an immeasurable loss to his family and all those who held him dear.”
The grieving mother concluded by asking the public for privacy during this difficult time in the family’s lives. After the news broke, it was then reported that Brian Sr. made zero effort to reunite with his estranged son before he passed. It was also alleged that he never “reached out to the family” in the days after Niko’s passing.
Brian McKnight Sr. finally broke his silence on his son’s passing after his ex-wife Julie and his own brother, Claude McKnight, commented on his silence. He called their statements “tasteless.”
Seven months after Niko McKnight’s colon cancer passing, his mother Julie McKnight and brother Brian McKnight Jr. are again slamming their father “Back At One” singer Brian McKnight. As Julie calls her ex-husband “belittling,” his eldest son drags him for allegedly refusing to say, “I love you,” which was his little brother’s dying wish.
During an interview with Marc Lamont Hill, Brian Jr. said:
“One of the darkest and coldest and one of the most disheartening memories of my life, is the day my brother called me, sobbing, with all that he’s going through, looking death in the eye, to tell me, ‘I’m right,’ about telling him not to call my father. Because I knew what was going to happen. Because I knew where my dad was. I told him, ‘Dad is gone. Dad’s gone.’ All my brother wanted and needed, and asked for was my father to tell him that he loves him. And my father responds, ‘I can’t arbitrarily say that you I love you.’ But this is the man that wanted to help him?”
Meanwhile, Julie slammed her ex-husband for “belittling” their dying son and putting his new family over him.
“Yes, people heard the voicemail. But, they have no idea that, as a mom, standing in the room, with my son, on speaker with his wife, and hearing how belittling his father talked to him. If the first comment out of his mouth was, ‘I don’t appreciate the way you’re treating my new family,’ who gives a damn, man?”
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