R&B singer Brian McKnight has filed a lawsuit accusing his ex-wife and others of spreading false claims about his relationship with his late son.
The complaint, filed this week in Georgia, centers on allegations that McKnight refused to tell his son Niko he loved him before his death.
Niko McKnight died in May 2025 at age 32 after battling cancer, according to the lawsuit and media reports.
McKnight’s legal filing argues that the claims are part of a “sensational but false narrative” that has damaged his reputation.
The defendants include his ex-wife, Julie McKnight, their son Brian McKnight Jr., and several media figures and outlets.
Disputed Final Moments
At the center of the dispute are statements made in interviews following Niko’s death.
According to the complaint, Julie McKnight claimed that during a final interaction, “their son repeatedly told Plaintiff ‘I love you’… while Plaintiff refused to reciprocate.”
McKnight denies that account and calls it the “most emotionally charged, damning and false accusation” against him.
He contends that he was prevented from contacting Niko during his illness and respected those wishes.
In earlier interviews cited in the lawsuit, Julie McKnight said, “Those words should come easily, freely and often,” referring to expressions of love.
Their son, Brian McKnight Jr., also supported the claim, describing the alleged moment as “one of the darkest and coldest” experiences of his life.
Claims of Defamation and Damages
McKnight alleges the statements were amplified through interviews, podcasts and news coverage, causing both emotional distress and financial harm.
The lawsuit accuses multiple parties of defamation, breach of contract and invasion of privacy.
It also claims the narrative portrayed him as “cruel” and an absentee father.
McKnight further alleges that his ex-wife violated a prior agreement prohibiting negative public statements about each other.
The suit names media personalities and outlets, including commentators who discussed the allegations publicly.
Those defendants have not publicly responded to the claims.
McKnight is seeking unspecified damages.
The case follows earlier legal action he filed in 2026 over similar allegations broadcast on a radio program.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions within the singer’s family, which he says escalated in recent years.
McKnight maintains that the portrayal of his actions surrounding his son’s death is inaccurate and harmful.
The case is expected to proceed in Georgia court, where a judge will determine whether the statements meet the legal threshold for defamation.