There has been a nasty war brewing between R&B singer Brian McKnight and his older children and this week it got even more complicated.
The singer-songwriter unveiled the cover art for his latest album and took the opportunity to announce that he has changed his name.
Brian McKnight is now known as Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. He explained that he changed his name to be in sync with his newborn son, Brian Makoa McKnight Jr., whom he shares with his wife, Dr. Leilani Malia Mendoza.
The crooner stated: “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.”
The announcement went viral, with many taking to social media to bash the music legend for going to the extreme to erase his other children, McKnight Jr., Niko, Briana, and Clyde, whom he shares with three different women.
One person slammed the musician by saying: “Did it ever cross his mind that hatred of his flesh and blood, his original junior, the seed that came from him, is a form of self-hate? 😔”
Another social media user bashed the “Back at One” artist for forgetting that he had a previous marriage, multiple relationships, and children before meeting his second wife.
The commenter wrote: “They love propping up their biracial kids like they are better and not equal to their first kids. Do better!”
This music lover added: “Whoa. You named yourself after your son. Heavy on the mentally disturbed here. Dang🙏🏾.”
Brian Makoa McKnight Jr is the father of an adult son whose name is Brian McKnight Jr. The famous pianist also has a grandson, whose name is Brian McKnight III.
Brian McKnight Jr. took to social media to react to the news. He wrote: “I’m not ashamed of the name my ancestors had. I’ll never change the name my son now has. We are witnessing an obscene level of self-hate that has reached mental illness status at this point.”
He boldly made his father this promise: “Legacy isn’t in the name. It’s in the character of the people. It will all be quite clear soon just who’s on the right side of all this because there’s no escaping what’s coming.”
The relationship between the artist and his children started declining in 2019 when he shared a video online calling his children “entitled.”
The angry father said: “I’ve never missed a day of child support. 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.”
McKnight Jr. hit back by revealing that he has no idea why he resents his children and grandchildren.
He confessed: “I don’t think there is any situation that merits the way my father has chosen to treat my brother, my sisters, and his grandchildren, one of which is his firstborn’s, firstborn son, who also bares our name. It’s insane to me. To have absolutely no empathy for the type of life that is introduced to us to, only to become resentful of us for that life catching up with us. It breaks my heart, but not for myself, specifically for my siblings, and my children. They don’t deserve this at all.”
Reconciliation seems unlikely now.
