‘Good news’ for Brian McKnight fans in Detroit!
If you were disappointed by the sudden cancellation of his concert earlier this year, there’s hope on the horizon.
At least according to Brian!
The R&B legend recently took to social media to assure his loyal fans that the show isn’t completely off the table—it’s just been postponed.
The cancellation, which sparked rumors of low ticket sales or backlash from his controversial remarks about his older children, left many wondering what really happened.
But McKnight, 55, set the record straight in a candid video posted on September 1st.
In the nearly three-minute clip, he expressed his love for Detroit, a city he’s performed in consistently over the past 30 years, and explained the true reason behind the decision.
“I love my fans in Detroit,” McKnight shared. “I play there every year for the last 30 [years] and I sell out every time. But my last show was advertised on Facebook, and the bullies jumped into the comments and threatened me and the folks who were coming.”
For McKnight and his promoter, the threats were enough to make them prioritize safety over everything else, leading to the decision to cancel the event.
However, McKnight reassured fans that the Detroit concert isn’t gone for good.
It’s been rescheduled for a later date in 2025, giving fans something to look forward to.
The “bullies” McKnight mentioned are likely referring to those who took issue with his previous comments about his four eldest biological children. In a now-infamous post from April, McKnight, a Seventh-day Adventist, referred to his children as a “product of sin” and implied they were a source of negativity in his life.
When a fan accused him of disowning his children, McKnight didn’t hold back in his response, stating,
“1. God wasn’t talking about children that are the product of sin which these are 2. I didn’t raise them, their mothers did 3. Know the whole story before quoting the Bible 4. Take your inaccurate negativity off my page and try being happy.”
Brian McKnight exposed by his oldest son for calling them ‘products of sin.”
Everything that you are doing, your kids and taking notes and can be used against you in the future. Now I see why his ex wife left him. Children shouldn’t be cleaning up condoms at any age. ????♀️ pic.twitter.com/HEaiENpIvJ
— Yetunde Folarin (@xxyettymamaxx) April 24, 2024
This controversy seemed to follow McKnight on his tour, with fans boycotting not only his Detroit show but also a concert in Washington D.C., which was originally scheduled for July and has since been postponed to November.
In his latest video, McKnight didn’t just address the Detroit concert. He also took a moment to call out news outlets for spreading gossip about his family drama, accusing them of being “desperate for clicks.”
Despite the negative press, McKnight made it clear that he still has a strong and supportive fan base.
“There’s so many false narratives out there about my fans having stopped supporting me. I wanted to acknowledge the fact that just because something is reported on IG or Youtube, that doesn’t make it true.”
He goes on to read a letter from Rochelle Robinson the mayor of the Atlanta suburb of Douglasville, where she thanked him for coming to the city to perform.
“As evidenced by your sold out show our citizens are big fans and were excited when they heard you were coming to perform in our city. Thank you for choosing to be here and putting on what I know will be a fabulous show,” before she signs off.
McKnight calls out Rickey Smiley
McKnight also took a moment to address radio host and actor Rickey Smiley, who had opinions about “kids that have been abandoned by fathers,” according to McKnight’s eldest.
Smiley said:
“You are not thrown away, you are not garbage, you are loved, you are to be respected,” ….“We are not here to try to replace your father, which that can’t be done, but we can be something to you. Just make sure you go on into adulthood and live your life, and get you the help and therapy that you need so that you can move on, ‘cause words hurt…“And she tuff like this hurt a lot. You know, when things like this are said, it’s a bell that cannot be unrung.”
I want the adult children of #BrianMcKnight who've been #disowned to know they have a lot of support out here. You are not thrown away.#RickeySmiley pic.twitter.com/rAtO1IH7aL
— Rickey Smiley (@RickeySmiley) May 6, 2024
Brian said in response that he wants to create a space on his platform for fathers and he wants Rickey Smiley to be his first guest.
“I want my first guest to be Rickey Smiley, who’s apparently the father of the year. You see it’s easy to press post and spew a one-way uninformed perspective, but are you man enough and father enough to come on my platform and have a dialogue? Come on, let’s talk, Rick.”
