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Brian McKnight has finally responded to the claims of abandoning his daughter Brianna and the criticism he received from the public for the same. On May 11, 2023, he shared a video on Instagram where he spoke about the accusations made against him, saying:
"There is a very simple reason why I post about some of my children on social media and not others. The children that I currently do not have relationships with, I don't post about them. Instead, I post about children with whom I do have relationships, with whom I am proud of."
Brianna had filed a lawsuit against him for defamation in 2020 but things were sorted out after Brian decided to pay around $200,000 to Brianna. The singer also added that he has the court documents to show that the claims made against him by Brianna were false.
Meanwhile, Brian's first wife, Julie McKnight, also responded to the controversy related to Brian and their children. The Shade Room also shared a video featuring Julie where she said:
"Hi family. Just here to say thank you. We appreciate you. We feel, we hear you, we feel it, we thank you."
She expressed her gratitude towards everyone for their love and support and added:
"I've learnt that the best way of, the best way to go through it, the best way to endure it, the best way to learn from it, the best way to prosper in it, is to elevate, stay positive."
Brian McKnight's first wife, Julie McKnight, is a popular singer
Julie McKnight was born to Norris Turney, a Seventh-Day Adventist Minister, and Saundra Brooks, a theater performer. Although detailed information about her schooling is not available, she went to the Huntsville-based Oakland College.
Julie soon developed an interest in singing during the 80s and shifted to Los Angeles with her father, Victor Sr. There, she got the opportunity to meet artists like Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone, Clifton David, and more.
She worked with DJ Mix on the album House Nation America. She started to release her singles in 2001 and was featured in the albums like Kenny Dope in the House, One Love, and Until One. She is known for her singles like Finally and This Feeling.
The 51-year-old's net worth is estimated to be around $500,000. She has been a recipient of a few accolades, including a nomination for the MTV2 Dancestar Music Awards in 2001 and Dance Music Awards in 2005.
Julie met Brian McKnight in college and they tied the knot in 1993. The duo became the parents of two children, Brian McKnight Jr. and Niko McKnight. The pair separated in 2003.
Why was Brian McKnight slammed by the public?
Brian McKnight was criticized for his Instagram bio in April 2023 which did not feature the names of his biological children. Netizens slammed McKnight for mentioning the names of his stepchildren instead. They also criticized his social media posts in the last few years as they were mostly about celebrating the achievements of his stepchildren.
McKnight has already been a victim of a similar incident in the past. He was called a bad father by many for ignoring his black children for a long time. He shared a video in 2019, where he responded to the claims, saying that he had done whatever he could for his children.
He even mentioned that he gave them the things that he could not afford as a child and recalled renting an apartment for his sons alongside paying the bills for two years.
