Keke Palmer was the talk of the Internet in the aftermath of a situation initiated by her boyfriend. Darius Jackson – Palmer’s partner with whom she shares a child – seemingly body shamed her on social media while reacting to a dress she sported at an Usher concert. In the aftermath, Jackson was widely criticized for his sentiments, and many took to the interwebs to defend the Nope star. Palmer herself hasn’t spoken about the situation publicly and has instead apparently progressed with her business endeavors. On that note, it now looks like she’s set to collaborate with the previously mentioned singer for a new project. And it’s very on-brand, considering the drama that recently unfolded.
If there’s one thing to know about the former Nickelodeon star, it’s that she’s always on her grind, finding different gigs that suit her interests. That includes music-related endeavors and, for one of her latest, she’ll be teaming up with Usher for a new music video. Ironically, the production is for the Grammy winner’s newest song, “Boyfriend.” Fans won’t have to wait long to see the finished product, either, as it’s set to be released on August 16. The Lightyear star teased the project on her Instagram by sharing the date as well as a snippet of footage. Check it out:
This pretty much represents some of what Keke Palmer is known for: serving looks and promoting her content in smart ways. The post is drumming up some serious buzz, as it already has over 150,000 likes. Not only that, but fans are flooding the comment section with praise and excitement. Of course, they couldn’t help but make note of how this all looks in relation to the drama with Palmer’s partner. Even Jennifer Lopez couldn’t help but chime in to mention how “savage” the whole affair looks. However, all in all, her admirers seem to be here for it.
It’s hard to deny that this is a shrewd career move. In a way, the Hustlers star is essentially taking using the recent narrative around her and using it to her advantage. Let’s be honest, whether commentators defended her or not during the Darius Jackson situation, just about all of them will likely check out the music video out of sheer curiosity. All in all, it’s certainly an interesting way to drum up publicity.
In July, a clip of Keke Palmer and Usher dancing together surfaced on social media, after the former attended the latter’s concert in Las Vegas. Darius Jackson eventually quoted a post on X – formerly known as Twitter – saying “It’s the outfit tho… you a mom.” (Palmer gave birth to their son in February and has since updated fans on her “mommy-ing.”) The video showed Palmer wearing a sheer dress at the “U Got It Bad” singer’s musical venue. Jackson later seemed to double down on his views in another post, which has since been deleted like the first. The post (as captured by People) read:
We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a hater he is. This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case.
While the actress didn’t publicly respond, she subsequently released “I’m a Motha” merchandise. That’s yet another instance of her taking the situation and finding a way to make it lucrative.
The state of Keke Palmer’s relationship with Darius Jackson is unclear, but she seems to still be tight with her fellow musician. Palmer and Usher shared a sweet exchange after the brouhaha, signifying at the time that they were still tight. The Grammy winner – whose full name is Usher Raymond IV – also reflected on the viral moment. He views it as a fun “pop moment” and simply believes that it represents the good time he, Palmer and others had in Vegas. There’s a firm chance the two also enjoyed their time working on the new music video, and it’ll be interesting to see how their work is ultimately received.
The music video for Usher’s “Boyfriend” is set to be released on August 16.
