Nationwide — Niko McKnight, the son of R&B singer Brian McKnight and his ex-wife Julie, has died on the age of 33 following a two-year battle with most cancers. The information was confirmed on Friday, Could 30, by Brian’s brother, Claude, who shared an emotional video tribute on TikTok. Whereas acknowledging the household’s well-known estrangement, Claude requested the general public to method Niko’s dying with love somewhat than judgment.
Individuals experiences a heartfelt three-minute video filmed from his automobile, Claude described his nephew as a proficient and vibrant particular person who was “quirky, curious, and ridiculously gifted.” Niko was not solely a talented guitarist and singer but in addition had a watch for pictures. Claude defined that whereas he doesn’t often submit about private tragedies, he felt compelled to honor Niko’s legacy and spirit.
Niko had spoken publicly about his most cancers prognosis in January 2024, sharing his expertise and restoration journey on Instagram. He credited his spouse, Phoenix, for serving to to avoid wasting his life and maintained optimism all through his remedy. Regardless of the bodily and emotional toll, Niko remained hopeful, writing, “S—s gonna get higher, I do know it.”
Claude didn’t go into element concerning the longstanding rift between Brian McKnight and his older youngsters however acknowledged the ache throughout the household. “There’s a lot harm happening… a variety of issues didn’t get resolved,” he mentioned, including that he carries his personal regrets concerning the state of affairs. He concluded the video with a tearful goodbye: “He’s out of ache now… I like you, Niko.”
Niko and his older brother Brian Jr. as soon as carried out alongside their father within the short-lived household music group MCKNIGHT. Nonetheless, by 2019, Brian McKnight publicly addressed his estrangement from his youngsters, saying, “I’m not abandoning them. We’re estranged.” The rift deepened lately, with Brian controversially referring to his older youngsters as a “product of sin” in a 2023 Instagram video.
Regardless of the stress, Niko remained lively and optimistic on social media, sharing updates about his well being and inspiring followers to not deal with him in another way. In a December 2024 submit, he mentioned he was “lastly sleeping a full night time once more” and starting to really feel hopeful after an extended and painful restoration. “It’s wanting fairly good to this point,” he wrote.
