Brian McKnight Slammed For Calling Biological Kids 'Evil' While Publicly Praising Stepchildren Instead
Brian McKnight is being blasted online for his behavior toward his estranged biological kids.
Earlier this week, the "Back At One" singer answered a follower's social media question about how his biological daughter Briana must feel about being publicaly disowned by her father and watching him praise his step-daughter instead.
McKnight, 54, did not acknowledge his biological daughter, but referred to Julia, his stepdaughter, as his "one and only daughter."
"She feels great. See, Julia understands the scripture Exodus 20:12, where it says, and I quote, 'Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days be long upon the land..' ", he said in an Instagram video posted on Saturday. "See, she honors us, and in turn, we honor her because she knows how proud of her we are."
In his Instagram bio, he writes how he is the "Father of Julia, Jack, Kekoa Matteo & Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Jr." McKnight is the father of seven.
McKnight fathered two sons, Brian Jr. and Niko, with his college sweetheart Julie McKnight. They were married from 1990 to 2003. He also has a daughter, Briana McKnight, from a previous relationship.
In 2017, he married Leilani Mendoza. Their first baby together, Kekoa Matteo, died in infancy, before they welcomed their "rainbow baby," son Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr, in January 2023. Their two-year-old is the singer's second Brian Jr., as the son he shares with his ex-wife is 34 years old.
In a follow-up video, McKnight cosigned one fan who came to his defense.
"In order to live a life that you love, you have to get rid of the evil and the negativity, even if that evil and negativity is related," he explained. "We want everyone to live a life that they love but in order to do that you have to get rid of that evil and negativity."
