Brian McKnight headed into the weekend in much delight, after his ex-wife Julie McKnight failed to appear in court, declaring a victory in his defamation case against her.
In a tirade, the singer told his 515,000 Instagram followers about winning the $9 million lawsuit judgment against his ex-wife.
The suit alleges Julie made false claims about Brian in her book, “Mama Bear: Beautifully Blended,” essentially calling him an abusive husband and neglectful father to their children.
Brian who previously called his biological children “evil” and a “product of sin,” could be seen in a video smiling and puffing on a cigar.
“It’s been a long journey getting to this day: October 16th, 2025,” he remarked. “But we are here in the English countryside about an hour and a half outside of London. And the verdict is in. We’ve been quiet, listening to liars continue to lie and keeping to ourselves, living and loving our life. As we said, leaving everything in God’s hands and letting our lawyer do the talking. But according to the courts, trying to ruin my name and trying to bring harm to my family in a book filled with lies equals $8.8 million dollars. And this is just the beginning. Because anyone and everyone that helped promote these lies will hear from my lawyer in the days to come. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. Now from my voicemail is the voice of a liar.”
Brian plays voicemail from Julie McKnight
Later in the video Brian played a voicemail from Julie.
“Do not text Niko again, do not call Niko again,” she allegedly says in the clip. As the audio played, you could see the singer run, hop, and tap his feet together in the air. “Leilani, if you are also checking these messages, that goes for you as well. I am very serious about this. I am very serious about this. Do not text him, period. Period. Please understand that. And Brian, you know me. You know me, and you know that I mean what I’m saying to you.”
Cole Nikolas “Niko” McKnight, 32, was the singer’s estranged son who died following a two-year cancer battle on May 30.
The 55-year-old shares “Niko” McKnight and Brian McKnight Jr., 35 with Julie.
Julie released “Mama Bear: Beautifully Blended,” in January of 2025. The “book shares the experiences of a young mother who learned to lean on the tribe of extended family that became a safe space for she and her sons,” per the excerpt.