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Brian McKnight's estranged son, Niko McKnight, passed away on Thursday, May 29, 2025, after battling with cancer. The news was confirmed by Niko's mother, Julie McKnight, in a statement shared on social media. Describing Niko as a "self-taught artist of music and photography," Julie further added:
"Nikolas was a cherished husband, son, brother, grandson, uncle, and nephew whose warmth, laughter, and love touched the lives of all who knew him."
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She also stated that the family needed privacy to grieve the loss of 32-year-old Niko McKnight. She concluded by expressing her gratitude for all the love and wishes the family received during this period. For the unversed, Niko was Brian McKnight's second son.
The 55-year-old singer had eight children: Brian McKnight Jr., Niko McKnight, Briana McKnight, Clyde McKnight, Julia McPhee, Jack McPhee, Kekoa McKnight, and Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr. Amongst these kids, while Julia and Jack are Brain's stepchildren, Kekoa McKnight passed away in infancy.
In 1990, Brian tied the knot with Julie McKnight. The marriage lasted till 2003, and by that time, the former couple had two sons, Brian McKnight Jr. and the late Niko. According to HotNewHipHop, the singer welcomed his third child, Briana, with Patricia Driver while being married to Julie.
As per Atlanta Black Star, Brian McKnight reportedly had Clyde in a past relationship. Not much information is available about Clyde. In December 2017, Brian married Leilani and became a stepfather to Julia and Jack. In January 2023, the couple welcomed their rainbow child, Briana Kainoa Makoa Jr.
Brian McKnight had claimed that Julie had stopped him from contributing to Niko's cancer treatment expenses
Niko McKnight revealed his cancer diagnosis in January 2024 through an Instagram post. His demise was confirmed by his mother and Uncle Claude, Brian McKnight's brother. On May 30, Brian said in a TikTok post:
"I'm devastated at my nephews' passing. If you comment please do do in love, and NOT at what you may have heard about the relationship my brother had/has with his kids."
For the unversed, Brian seemingly had a strained relationship with his older children. In April 2024, he reportedly described his older children with Julie as "products of sin" on Instagram. The same month, he shared a video on Instagram addressing speculations of him not being responsible towards Niko, who was diagnosed with cancer.
Brian claimed that he was willing to contribute to the medical expenses of his estranged son. According to him, it was his ex-wife who stopped him from acting on it. In the clip, Brian said that he and Leilani "jumped into action" as soon as they heard about the diagnosis. The singer even stated that he had requested for Niko's medical reports to be sent to the best specialist.
Everything was apparently in action until the singer received a phone call from Julie, who reportedly told him:
"Do not contact [Niko]. He does not need your help."
Before concluding by saying that he was praying for Niko, Brian added:
"I can only imagine that if that help came from me, that it would go against the strong narrative that's being pushed out there about me."
As for now, Brian McKnight has given no response to Niko McKnight's demise.
