LOS ANGELES — Niko McKnight, the estranged son of Grammy-nominated singer Brian McKnight, has died following a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 32.
The tragic news was confirmed by Niko’s uncle, Claude McKnight, in a tearful video shared on TikTok Friday, May 30.
“This morning I found out that my nephew Niko McKnight passed away,” said Claude, visibly emotional. “He’d been bravely battling cancer for the last two years or so… It really sucks that he’s no longer with us.”
Claude, a founding member of the vocal group Take 6, described Niko as “ridiculously talented,” highlighting his skills as a singer, guitarist, and photographer. “Niko was one of those amazing kids—somebody you always wanted to be around,” he added.
Complicated Family History
Niko was the son of Brian McKnight and his ex-wife Julie McKnight. In the early 2000s, Niko and his older brother Brian Jr. performed alongside their father in a short-lived family group named MCKNIGHT.
However, the father-son relationship soured in later years. In 2019, Brian publicly addressed the rift, stating, “I’m not abandoning them. We’re estranged.” Tensions deepened in 2023 when Brian controversially referred to his four eldest children as a “product of sin” and called them “evil and negativity” in an Instagram video, sparking widespread backlash.
In his TikTok post, Claude acknowledged the public discourse but urged fans to tread lightly.
“Please do [comment] in love, and NOT at what you may have heard about the relationship my brother had/has with his kids,” he wrote in the caption.
Niko’s Courage and Resilience
Despite the family turmoil, Niko remained hopeful during his illness. In a heartfelt January 2024 Instagram post, he revealed his cancer diagnosis and thanked those who stood by him:
“Shout out to everyone in my corner and a super shoutout to my wife… let’s keep this momentum going… s—t’s gonna get better, I know it.”
By December, he celebrated small victories—like sleeping through the night and eating normally after relying on TPN (total parenteral nutrition) for months. “I feel like I can see the light from the other side of the woods,” he wrote.
A Final Farewell
Claude ended his tribute by uplifting his late nephew’s spirit:
“I just want to uplift that young man… I love you, Niko.”
As of now, Brian McKnight has not issued a public statement regarding Niko’s death.
