Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson Reportedly Did Break Up Following That Usher Comment Drama

Usher released his “Boyfriend” music video starring Keke Palmer today, just a month after her then-boyfriend and son’s father Darius Jackson went viral for sexist tweets about her. In early July he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, shaming Palmer for what she wore to see Usher perform in Las Vegas. Now, People has a new update on Palmer and Jackson’s relationship status: They are done.

“He’s moved on,” a source said of Jackson, noting he is focusing on his acting career and hoping to put the social media drama behind him.

They are working together to co-parent, the source added: “You don’t have to be in the same household to be good parents.”

Palmer has not directly commented on her relationship status with Jackson. She just shared a clip of the “Boyfriend” music video and reflected on her experience making it with Usher.

Usher! I remember when I was 12 and auditioned for “In The Mix” ???? You have been killing it all my life. As a true lover of the arts, your talent and craftsmanship are a rare combination that I aspire to achieve as a performer. You are a living legend who is worthy of awe! Thank you for encouraging me and seeing me as the entertainer I am.

I know I’m a gUrL but when I watched your videos, I never wanted to be the girl in them, I wanted to be YOU. Thank you for making a dream come true.

In an interview with The Cut conducted as the Usher Vegas drama was brewing last month, Palmer spoke about how she was feeling about herself as a new mother. (Jackson had tweeted at the time to Palmer, “It’s the outfit tho … you a mom.” When he received rightful criticism for that comment, he doubled down on his stance and wrote, “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.”)

“I’ll be honest, I think before I even had the baby, I was really actually quite self-conscious,” Palmer said of her headspace. “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.”

She also shared what she would say to the fellow mothers defending her online after her now ex’s comments. “Do you, new moms. Do you,” she said. “Girl, if there’s one person on this earth that loves you for sure, it’s that baby. Be happy, because there’s no love like it. Somebody loving you like that, hell, who cares?”

Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.