What did Claude McKnight say? Brian McKnight calls out brother over “tasteless” announcement of estranged son Niko’s death

The latest wave of family tension and public debate has been sparked by the death of Niko McKnight, the son of the R&B singer Brian McKnight. Niko, 32, died after a two-year battle with cancer.

As tributes from friends and family members flowed, Brian McKnight’s visible lack of the same and the emotional video tribute from his brother, Claude McKnight, became a point of controversy.

In a raw, emotional video, Claude McKnight addressed the death of his nephew, wherein he focused more on Niko’s memory rather than the family rift.

"Niko was one of those amazing kids who was quirky and curious and ridiculously talented... And just one of those kids that, at least in my estimation, was somebody who always wanted to be around." He said in the TikTok video.

Claude described him as a talented singer, guitarist, and photographer. “It really sucks that he’s no longer with us,” he added while visibly mourning his loss. Claude avoided the issue of Brian McKnight's very public beef with his adult children, instead saying that the family issues were complicated.

"The family drama that has existed for quite some time in our family. I'm not here to discuss that or to talk about how that happened or why it happened. This is not the time or the place. But what I will say is, in any situation, there's always at least three sides to a story." He said.

More about Brian McKnight's response to the ongoing controversy and his past relationship with his children

Brian McKnight, however, seems to be dissatisfied with his brother’s statement. On the other hand, sources told Page Six that Brian never attempted to contact Niko prior to his death, and never reached out to the family afterwards.

This, and the singer’s public estrangement from his older children, received a lot of backlash. In past remarks, Brian had referred to his children from previous relationships as a “product of sin,” comments that provoked outrage on the internet.

Brian McKnight recently posted on Instagram amidst the continued public discourse that has followed since the death of his estranged son Niko. He attacked his brother, Claude McKnight, describing his emotional tribute on TikTok as “tasteless” and “self aggrandizing.

"A big big thanks to Claude Mcknight’s tasteless and self aggrandizing announcement on TikTok, that frankly was not his to make, in my opinion, he inserted himself and used Niko’s death as an opportunity." The R&B singer captioned his post.

Brian stated that he and his family had flown to Maui to conduct a private memorial for Niko. He also said he had provided Niko with comprehensive medical care while he was sick, which included access to the best oncologist.

According to Brian, Niko and his mother had turned down the offer. He also spoke directly to Niko’s mother, casting blame for blocking communication and impeding Niko from accepting help.

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"To the self proclaimed 'mama bear' may God have mercy on your soul for not allowing him to accept that help." He said.

Speaking of his faith, Brian said that there is only one judgment that counts, the divine judgment. He thanked those who had continued to support him and who “knew the truth,” and took comfort in the belief that Niko was no longer suffering.

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