Is Keke Palmer Dating Darius Jackson After Relationship Drama? She Says…
After some much talked-about relationship drama this summer, Keke Palmer is keeping her private life, well, private.
The 30-year-old recently played coy when asked about her relationship status with Darius Jackson amid speculation they broke up last month.
"Life is good," the Hustlers actress told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Today Sept. 25. "I have nothing but gratitude, honestly. Seriously."
But when Jenna asked if she was speaking in terms of her relationship with Darius, Keke shot back, "I'm not trying to be specific! I'm going to take a page out of my girl Beyoncé's book: Mind y'all's business."
Speaking of Beyoncé, the couple—who welcomed their first child, son Leodis Andrellton Jackson, in February—hinted that they are going strong earlier this month when they attended the "Formation" singer's Sept. 4 concert in L.A. together.
"First of all, that was my second time going," Keke gushed to Hoda and Jenna. "I went first with my homegirls and then he was like, 'I hear everybody's going for her birthday.' I said, 'Does that mean we're going again?'"
And, yes, the new parents had a blast while dancing in the audience. "Me and him, we were trying to do the duck walk," she added. "We started doing the voguing. We're all about it."
Their outing to see Queen Bey comes just a few months after Darius sparked controversy by criticizing the outfit Keke wore to an Usher concert on social media. As the fitness instructor wrote on X—formerly known as Twitter—at the time, "It's the outfit tho..you a mom."
Weeks later, the pair, who began dating in 2021, reportedly broke up, though neither ever confirmed a split.
However, she did subtly shade Darius when she starred in Usher's recent music video "Boyfriend." At the end of the vid, she answers a phone call saying, "Dammit, I missed the show! S--t, I'm so tired. I am a mother, after all."
Despite the drama, when Keke celebrated her 30th birthday, her man was by her side.
"Thank you for taking me out on my birthday, as always," the Nope star told Darius in an Instagram Live on Aug. 26. "I mean, it's not always my birthday, but you always do take me out. But I just thank you for making it special for my birthday. That's so sweet."
He responded, "I took you out on your birthday for your birthday and that's why we're out here on your birthday and having drinks on your birthday."
Keep reading to relive Keke and Darius' love story.
The True Jackson, VP alum and the fitness instructor went Instagram official with their romance when Keke shared Polaroids of the two packing PDA at her 28th birthday party. "It's the details for me. Nobody was on they phones, we had that before MySpace feeling… I'm so happy," she wrote on Instagram Aug. 29, 2021. "Awesome Birthday, so grateful."
Keke and Darius enjoyed a group outing at Cinespia's screening of Coming to America in Hollywood.
The couple looked very cozy as they stepped out at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles.
Keke and Darius' relationship continued to heat up as they spent spooky season together, hanging out with friends during a Cinespia screening of I Know What You Did Last Summer at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
While appearing on The Tamron Hall Show, Keke explained that she decided to go public with Darius because it "became more difficult to hide" their romance.
"We spend all this time together, and he really is my closest friend, so it just becomes a thing where I'm not gonna hide something that makes me happy," she explained. "It's not gonna be everything you see, my job is my job, but at the end of the day this is somebody that is important to me so why not."
Keke spent Christmas with Darius and family, sharing that he gifted her sunglasses fitted with her prescription. "I couldn't be happier!!!" she wrote on Instagram Dec. 25, 2021. "Worked hard all year to spend this time celebrating our health and our love for one another. All the sacrifices are worth it in the end when you know it's for the future and your family. I am who I am because of these people and their love for me is enough to keep me happy until the ends of time."
The Nope actress added, "Nothing means anything without these people. My heart is so full and I'm wishing you all the best today.. may the spirit of God be with you all!! Ho Ho Ho!!! Merry Christmas."
Keke and Darius were all smiles as they sat courtside at an NBA All Star Weekend game in Cleveland.
Keke announced her pregnancy during the Dec. 3, 2022 episode of Saturday Night Live. "There's some rumors going around, people have been in my comments saying, 'Keke's having a baby, Keke's pregnant,' and I wanna set the record straight: I am," she said during her opening monologue, before throwing open her coat to reveal her growing belly. "I was trying so hard to keep it on the down low, 'cause I got a lot of stuff going on...but honestly this has been the biggest blessing, and I am so excited."
After the big pregnancy announcement, Keke and Darius were spotted heading to a SNL after-party in New York City.
Darius sent some social media love to Keke amid the baby news, sharing a photo of the star cradling her growing bump. Seemingly referencing their baby on the way's due date, he wrote in the caption alongside a red heart emoji, "2023."
While reflecting on her SNL experience on Instagram, Keke called Darius her "other half" and thanked him for "giving me the things that only true unity can bring."
"Love is all we have isn't it," she added in a Dec. 4 post. "you do nothing in this world alone and trust me, I am not alone! Very grateful… Happy Holidays!"
The couple welcomed son Leodis Andrellton Jackson in February 2023, with Keke quipping in his birth announcement, "Born during Black History Month, with a name to match."
Keke and Darius Jackson took their baby boy to the screening of her visual album Big Boss at Georgia State University.
"Happy Easter," Keke wrote on Instagram Apr. 9. "Blessings to all! He has risen."
Darius faced online backlash when he appeared to shame Keke for wearing a see-through dress to an Usher concert in Las Vegas. "It's the outfit tho," he tweeted at the time, "you a mom."
After fans came to Keke's defense, the dad of one doubled down on his stance, writing on Twitter, "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."
Keke and Darius broke up after nearly two years of dating, according to multiple reports.
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