Brian McKnight is speaking out.
Less than a week after his estranged son Cole Nikolas “Niko” McKnight died following a two-year cancer battle, the “Back At One” singer slammed his brother Claude McKnight for publicly announcing the 32-year-old’s passing.
“A big big thanks to Claude McKnight’s tasteless and self-aggrandizing announcement on TikTok, that frankly was not his to make,” Brian shared in the voiceover of a June 3 Instagram Reel. “In my opinion, he inserted himself and used Niko’s death as an opportunity, instead of letting him pass with respect and dignity.”
The 55-year-old—who shares Niko, as well as son Brian McKnight Jr., 35, with ex Julie McKnight—went on to criticize his estranged sibling for calling attention to their alleged “family drama” with the tribute. As he put it, “It has instead turned into a circus, a mockery of a life now lost, making this tragedy into a reality show type drama.”
After all, Brian—who is also dad to Brian Kainoa McKnight, 2, and Kekoa Matteo, who died in infancy in 2022, and stepkids Julia McPhee and Jack McPhee with wife of eight years Leilani Mendoza, as well as estranged daughter Brianna McKnight from a previous relationship—said he had flown to Maui and had a private memorial for Niko remembering “all the good times” while everything was “unfolding.”
“The last time he and I spoke, we offered him all the help we could provide, we had the number one oncologist on deck for him and a team of specialists on standby with private care in our home,” the singer recalled. “He and his mother declined. The door of communication was open and remained open until his death.”
Brian further detailed feeling “immense peace” in knowing that “God knows the TRUTH and the totality of the WHOLE story.”
“My wife, our children and I are eternally thankful to Almighty God that the suffering has come to an end and grateful for all of your condolences,” he concluded. “Thanks to those of you have known The truth from the beginning and haven’t let untruths, half truths or slander, prejudice your opinion.”
Claude, Julie and several of Niko’s other family members shared the news of his death on May 30.
“I’m devastated at my nephews’ passing.” Claude wrote in the caption of his TikTok tribute at the time. “If you comment please do in love, and NOT at what you may have heard about the relationship my brother had/has with his kids. Thank you.”
Noting in the video that he didn’t “know exactly what was going on” between Niko and his estranged dad, Claude emphasized that the purpose of his TikTok was not to discuss “how” or “why” their alleged family drama unfolded.
“I just try to be as loving to each person as I can be,” he added, “Because apparently there’s so much hurt going on—or was so much hurt going on that a lot of things didn’t get resolved.”
But Claude isn’t the only person to have addressed Brian’s estrangement from his children. Back in 2019, the “One Last Cry” musician also provided insight into where he stood with his and Julie’s kids.
“Been there for my children every step of the way until recently,” he shared on social media before clarifying, per People, “I’m not abandoning them. We’re estranged.”
