Brian McKnight said he doesn’t claim his estranged biological kids because they are the “product of sin.”
During a recent Q&A session on Instagram, the “Back At One” singer responded to a fan who defended his decision to no longer claim his four oldest biological children — Brian Jr., Niko, Briana and Clyde — because some relatives can be “pure evil.”
“I wanna big up my man right here. He gets it,” McKnight, 54, said in an Instagram video while pointing at the fan’s comment.
“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 [to you].”
A separate fan commented on the 17-time Grammy nominee’s post, writing that McKnight “disowned” his children and has gone “against God.”
The “Anytime” singer replied, “1. God wasn’t talking about children that are the product of sin which these are 2. I didn’t raise them their mothers did 3. Know the whole story before quoting the Bible 4. Take your inaccurate negativity off my page and try being happy.”
McKnight has been at odds with his four eldest children for years.
Last October, he was slammed for changing his name to become a senior to his newborn son — although he was already a senior to his eldest son, Brian Jr.
“So proud to introduce our son 🤍BRIAN KAINOA MAKOA JR. 🤍,” he captioned a snap of the infant’s face on Instagram at the time.
“To the world with the release of my new album lovingly created for him. JR. because I am also proud to officially announce that I have legally changed my name to exactly match my legacy’s.”
McKnight — who shares the newborn with his wife, Leilani Mendoza — said his name was now Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr.
Fans took to social media to call the R&B legend “wicked” and “vile” for trying to disassociate himself from his four eldest children, whom he shares from previous relationships.
“Brian McKnight is so wicked,” tweeted one critic. “He changed his last name to Makoa McKnight so he could name his newborn Brian Makoa McKnight Jr., when he already has a son named Brian McKnight Jr. Idk how much more wicked one can be.”
“I’ve never seen anyone proudly demonstrate how much they hate their children like Brian McKnight,” added another. “Changing his name to match the new baby when he’s already got a Jr is next level cruel. he’s a trash human being for not only doing it, but also putting it on display to the world.”
McKnight’s eldest son also reacted to his estranged father’s name change.
“I’m not ashamed of the name my ancestors had,” he replied. “I’ll never change the name my own son now has. We are witnessing an obscene level of self hate, that has reached mental illness status at this point.”
For more Page Six you love…
Although it’s unknown why McKnight has decided to cut his eldest children from his life, he first hinted at a feud in 2019 when he called them “entitled” in a video.
“I’ve never missed a day of child support,” he said at the time, per Essence. “I’ve never done anything adverse to my children whatsoever. I’ve always been there. I’ve always been there with advice, whether they took it or not.
“I have always been the sounding board and I’ve always been the one who had to help them achieve whatever dreams that they were wanting to reach out for.”
The “One Last Cry” musician and Mendoza tied the knot in December 2017.
She is also a mom to two other kids, Julie and Jack, from a previous relationship. McKnight now refers to his stepchildren and his infant son as his only kids.
