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After a massive public spat over an outfit, Keke Palmer, 29, and Darius Jackson have reportedly broken up. A source close to the matter told PEOPLE on Aug. 16 that Darius has “moved on” from the actress. Shortly after, a separate insider told Entertainment Tonight that the pair split not long after the outfit-shaming drama that happened earlier this summer. “Keke and Darius called it quits shortly after he called her out on Twitter for her outfit at the Usher concert,” the source said.
“Keke is focusing on her work and her 6-month-old son,” the source continued. More so, they claimed that although she and her ex “have been co-parenting” they “aren’t together.” On the heels of the split, Keke also collaborated with the 44-year-old singer for his latest video titled “Boyfriend.” The new track was released on Aug. 16, notably the same day that her breakup from Darius made headlines.
Keke and Darius, who welcomed their first child, son Leodis ‘Leo’ Andrellton Jackson on February 25, fell out after the Scream Queens actress was seen on video being serenaded by Usher at his Las Vegas residency show on July 5. She looked gorgeous in a black bodysuit overlaid with a sheer black polka dot dress, and shared additional pics of the stunning look on her own Instagram account. Darius was displeased, and took to social media to shame his girlfriend of two years with a devastating comment. “It’s the outfit tho.. you a mom,” he reacted, setting off a firestorm of backlash.
Even amid intense criticism, the fitness trainer didn’t back down, later writing, “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.”
On July 6, reports emerged that after deactivating his Instagram account, Darius returned to the platform — but only after scrubbing it of photos of Keke. The former Disney star took it in stride, handling the whole thing by expertly dropping a line of “I’m a Motha” merch.
And the Nope beauty was direct in her musical clapback via TikTok on Jul. 7. Dancing outdoors in a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tank top with sneakers, she lip synced, “You ain’t stoppin’ what’s goin’ on with me sweetheart, So if you gon’ act up, I’m ‘bouta link up.”
In an interview with The Cut published on July 10, the talented actress admitted to having been “self-conscious” about her body. “I’ll be honest, I think before I even had the baby, I was really actually quite self-conscious,” she said. “After having my baby, I’ve gotten so much more powerful. We’re going to lean into this new body, and I think that is the whole aura of what’s happening with me in this big boss era as I come into my 30s, and I have my baby boy, and I’m just continuing to spread my wings as a young woman.”
