Photo:Brian McKnight/ Instagram; Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
Brian McKnight/ Instagram; Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
Brian McKnight is the father of seven, including two stepchildren withhis wife Leilani McKnight.
McKnight has two sons, Brian Jr. and Niko, with ex-wife Julie McKnight (to whom he was married from 1990 to 2003), as well as daughter Briana McKnight from a previous relationship.
While McKnight has often spoken fondly of his children with Leilani, he has had a complicated relationship with his three eldest children over the years.
In 2019,McKnight addressedhis estranged relationship with his children, noting that he has “been there for my children every step of the way until recently,” clarifying, “I’m not abandoning them. We’re estranged.”
Here’s everything to know about McKnight’s children.
Brian McKnight Jr.
ANDREAS BRANCH/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Brian is McKnight’s eldest son, whom he shares with ex-wife Julie McKnight. Throughout his childhood, Brian attended many events with his father, including the 2000 American Music Awards and various movie premieres. Additionally, Brian has performed alongside his father on several occasions, includingThe Morning Show with Mike and Julietin 2008.
In 2009, McKnight spoke about his sons Brian and Niko as they were set to release their debut album under the name MCKNIGHT. “They do all the music themselves,”McKnight told SoulCultureabout his sons. “I’m just here to sort of be the executive producer. I’m the most proudest dad on the planet Earth.”
In October 2023, the elder McKnightannounced that he legally changed his namein order to share a name with his newborn son, despite being a “senior” to Brian McKnight Jr. already.
“All we can do is pray for that man, and my new little brother, who we will all welcome with open arms one day, once he realizes who his real family is,” he wrote. “Legacy isn’t in the name. It’s in the character of the people. It will all be quite clear soon, just who’s on the right side of all this, because there’s no escaping what’s coming.”
Niko McKnight
Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
During his marriage to Julie, McKnight welcomed his second son, Niko (pictured right). Like his brother Brian, Niko made a handful of public appearances alongside his father when he was younger and performed alongside him as he and Brian Jr. promoted their group MCKNIGHT.
In August 2019, McKnight made a rare public statement about his eldest three children after Brian Jr. claimed his dad “abandoned” him and his siblings.
“Abandonment has nothing to do with any of this,” McKnight said at the time. “I’ve been there every step of the way,” he added, saying that he eventually cut his children off.
Briana McKnight
Brian McKnight/ X
Briana is McKnight’s eldest daughter from a previous relationship. Unlike her older brothers, Briana hasn’t made as many appearances with her father, aside from the occasionalsocial media postfrom the singer, including one from 2012 where he reflected on how fast she was growing up.
In August 2019,McKnight addressedhis complicated relationship with his daughter as he talked about his estrangement with his children.
In the video, McKnight claimed that Briana’s mother blocked him and his wife from all of her social media accounts and “completely estranged her from us.” He also went on to claim that Briana’s mother only wanted to have a child with him “for money.”
In a video shared tohis YouTube channel in May 2023, McKnight claimed that his estrangement with his children was “mutual.” He added that after Brian Jr. and Briana made posts about him in 2019, “any roads towards reconciliation and acknowledging them” became a “dead issue” and he changed his will.
Julia McPhee
Brian McKnight/ Instagram
Julia McPhee is Leilani’s daughter from a previous relationship and McKnight’s stepdaughter.Per her Instagram, she resides in Atlanta after graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Biological Sciences degree.
In 2020, McKnight faced backlash when he thanked Julia for “making me a girl dad,” despite already being a father to Briana. “Jules I became a girl dad because of YOU and I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter,”McKnight wrote in the caption.
“Visiting you on campus and seeing how happy you are living in this beach house with all your friends for your senior year reminded us both of how proud we are of the woman you have become and the incredible student you continue to be,” he continued. “Here’s to you Jules the perfect daughter I always wanted.”
Jack McPhee
Jack McPhee is Leilani’s son from a previous relationship and McKnight’s stepson. McKnight has posted many tributes to Jack over the years, including a sentimental post in May 2021 as he gifted him a special watch in honor of his high school graduation.
“Jack, I bought this @breitling the year your mom and I started dating and I’ve kept it waiting to give it to you when you graduated from high school my son,”he wrotealongside a photo of them at Jack’s graduation. “Congrats and now you’ll always know what time it is.”
In September 2022, McKnight celebrated Jack entering adulthood as he turned 20. “Do not look at this as getting older this is a gift, the pathway that’s leading you to be the perfect man that your mom and I have raised you to be,”he wrote. “I say perfect, because you are perfect and I could not have asked for a better legacy, father to son, than you.”
Kekoa McKnight
He also shared aMother’s Day tribute to Leilanisharing their “last family picture before the birth of our son Kekoa.”
“I know how hard him not being here in the flesh with us is weighing incredibly heavy on us, but I know he is with us just like Julia and Jack are, as shining examples of your exceptional motherhood,” he wrote in the post.
Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr.
Leilani McKnight/Instagram
In November 2022, McKnight announced thathe and Leilani were expecting a childfollowing the death of their son Kekoa. “We are ECSTATIC to finally announce BABY MCKNIGHT is coming soon!!!!!!!🤍🤍🤍,” he captioned the post, also including a message to Leilani calling her “my everything my hero my reason for living.”
In October 2023, McKnight revealed thathe had legally changed his nameto Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. to “exactly match my legacy’s.” The announcement was considered controversial, as he already has a namesake son, Brian McKnight Jr.
source: people.com
