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Brian McKnight Jr. has publicly called out his father, R&B singer Brian McKnight, for celebrating a recent legal victory on the birthday of McKnight Jr.’s late brother, Niko.
In a series of emotional Instagram Stories, McKnight Jr. accused his father of being “emotionally unavailable” and insensitive, saying the timing of his celebratory post was deeply hurtful.
“I’ve tried really hard to stay quiet and be the bigger person,” he shared. “But posting something like that on my late brother’s birthday? The gloves are off.”
McKnight Jr. acknowledged that his parents had a troubled marriage but said his father crossed the line by gloating about winning a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, Julie McKnight, on such a painful day for the family.
Niko McKnight passed away in May after a two-year battle with cancer and would have turned 32 on October 16.
Earlier this week, Brian McKnight announced on Instagram that he had won an $8.8 million default judgment in his defamation case against Julie, who did not appear in court. While court records confirm a judgment was issued last month, details regarding the damages have not yet been made public.
The lawsuit, filed in May, alleged that Julie made false claims about McKnight in her book Mama Bear: Beautifully Blended, including accusations of emotional abuse and harassment.
