Singer Brian McKnight’s son, Niko has died after a battle with stage 4 cancer. McKnight confirmed Niko died on Thursday, May 29. The aspiring artist was only 32.
Brian’s brother, Take 6 singer Claude McKnight, also announced his nephew’s death on TikTok.
@claudemcknight 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. Thank you ?? #nephew #cancersucks #rip #love #family ? original sound – Claude Mcknight
McKnight had a strained relationship with his older children. But he said he and his wife, Leilani Mendoza, “jumped into action” when they learned Niko was diagnosed with cancer and he didn’t have insurance in 2024.
The “Back At One” singer opened up about his son’s cancer battle on Instagram in April 2024. He said at the time that his ex-wife, Julie, demanded he stop helping Niko in his cancer fight.
“Six months ago, we found out about this [Niko’s cancer diagnosis],” he said at the time. “We called him. We talked to him, we talked to his wife. She told us that she was all alone and handling everything all by herself and it became quickly evident to us that since they didn’t have insurance and they didn’t have access to the proper doctors, naturally, we jumped into action.”
He continued: “We miraculously found a treatment facility near our home that put him at the top of the list and then we put down a deposit to secure that place.”
McKnight said that Mendoza, a physician, asked for Niko’s medical records and “hand-delivered them to the best specialist in the country” to give his son the “best fighting chance.”
McKnight said he and Mendoza arranged for Niko and his wife to fly to their home. But he claimed Julie made a “hostile” phone call to him, demanding him to stop helping their son.
“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,” Brian said, referring to fans comments that he’s a deadbeat dad.
“So what are we doing? We’re adhering to [Julie’s] wishes because that’s what she wanted and we’re staying out of it.” Brian concluded by saying he and his wife, Mendoza, are “praying” for Niko.
Fans aren’t sure if McKnight was telling the truth because the singer had previously disowned his older children on social media in favor of his children with his current wife.
McKnight referred to his sons with Julie as “products of sin.”
He also has a strained relationship with his daughter, who was born out of wedlock during his marriage to Julie.
McKnight said Mendoza’s daughter, Julia, was his “one and only daughter.”
