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American singer-songwriter Brian McKnight recently faced backlash from netizens for launching a new online Fatherhood segment where he would discuss fatherhood amid his ongoing conflict with his biological kids.
In the one-minute video, uploaded to his Instagram on Saturday, September 7, he referred to his fans, saying:
“I'm so excited to share with you my story of fatherhood and also highlight other fathers out there who are exceptional examples of what a great father should be.”
Once the clip went viral, users flooded the comment section with criticism. They pointed out that although the singer has a young son and two stepchildren with his wife Leilani, he has been estranged from their eldest biological children for a long time. One person commented:
"The audacity and narcissism"
Several other netizens expressed similar sentiments online.
Some even talked about his strained relationship with his biological kids.
Many netizens joked and said that he was surely trolling his audience.
Brian McKnight talks about his new show Fatherhood Fridays
Brian McKnight's "Fatherhood" series focuses on parenting his infant son and stepchildren with his wife, Leilani. However, he seemed to be not talking about his other kids—Brian Jr., Niko, Briana, and Clyde.
On Friday, September 6, McKnight shared a video on his Instagram discussing the show. He expressed excitement about sharing his parenthood journey with his audience and highlighted his intent to honor fathers who show how a good father should be.
Speaking about the show, Brian said:
“Fatherhood Fridays is about how when you do things the right way with God on your side, with the person he made for you, the happiness and joy you feel will be greater than anything you could have ever imagined.”
He continued:
“So I guess he wasn't man enough to have a conversation about fatherhood... No, I'm not here to throw any shade on anyone or to live in the past in any way. I've addressed all of that.”
McKnight also spoke about his relationship with his stepchildren:
“My wife Leilani and I have been together over a decade and married for almost seven years. Naturally, I became Julia and Jack's father with the blessing of their biological father and we became a family. What is a part of her is a part of me also. I have my own personal father-daughter and father-son relationships with them.”
Additionally, Brian recalled the responses his stepchildren gave him when he asked why they loved and respected him so much, and they responded:
“Because you’re my dad, and all we want to do is make you proud.”
He further claimed that a "proud father" doesn't even come close to describing his feelings for his stepkids, Jack, who is a senior in college, and Julia, who recently received her master's degree.
However, the entire video attracted criticism as his strained relationship with his other biological children resurfaced. In an earlier Instagram video from April 2024, McKnight stated that he does not claim his estranged biological children because they are the "product of sin."
As the clip of Fatherhood Fridays went viral on different social media platforms, neither Brian McKnight's biological kids nor his ex-wife commented on the matter.
