Brian McKnight is taking his family fight to federal court. The singer has filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Julie McKnight, his son Brian McKnight Jr., journalist Marc Lamont Hill, online personality Tasha K and the ‘New York Post.’ The complaint, filed in Georgia federal court on April 21, claims they helped create a “public smearing campaign” against him after the death of his son Niko last year.
McKnight says the defendants pushed a “sensational but false narrative” that caused “catastrophic harm” to his reputation and career. “Defendants’ relentless and persistent assault upon his character has left him with no alternative but to seek the vindication that only comes from the truth,” the complaint reads. His attorney, Brian Williamson, told the ‘Atlanta Journal-Constitution’ that more defendants could be added. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages.
McKnight Says Family Claims Damaged His Reputation
The lawsuit centers on interviews and public appearances involving Julie McKnight and Brian McKnight Jr.
According to the complaint, the two have claimed over the past year that McKnight abandoned his children. One of the most painful allegations came during an appearance by McKnight Jr. on Hill’s podcast, where he alleged that his father refused to tell Niko he loved him while Niko was battling cancer.
Niko later died from the illness.
The complaint also cites Hill’s appearance on the ‘Joe Budden Podcast,’ where Hill allegedly used harsh insults while discussing McKnight.
McKnight’s lawsuit argues that those statements were not harmless commentary. He claims they contributed to a damaging public narrative that hurt his name, career and public image.
Tasha K And The ‘New York Post’ Are Also Named
The suit also names Tasha K, whose legal name is Latasha Transrina Kebe.
McKnight alleges that she repeatedly made claims that he abandoned his children and had an inappropriate relationship involving a minor during an interview with his ex-wife. The complaint says those claims were false and damaging.
The ‘New York Post’ is also named in the lawsuit. McKnight accuses the outlet of “amplifying” the allegations by presenting statements from his family as credible factual claims without contacting him or reviewing available evidence.
As of April 23, an initial hearing date had not appeared in the court record. The defendants had also not publicly commented in the available draft material.
This Is McKnight’s Second Defamation Suit This Year
This is not McKnight’s first legal move tied to public comments about his family.
In March, he filed a separate lawsuit against ‘The Rickey Smiley Morning Show,’ its parent company Urban One and host Karen Clark on similar grounds.
Urban One has sought dismissal of that case, reportedly arguing that McKnight is a public figure and must meet the “actual malice” standard. The company also claims the disputed statements were opinions.
McKnight also previously claimed in a since-deleted Instagram video that he had won an earlier defamation lawsuit in North Carolina against his ex-wife. Williamson said Julie McKnight is challenging the default judgment.
For McKnight, the message is clear. He says the public narrative around his family has gone too far, and now he wants a court to decide what was opinion, what was false and what damage was done.
