Courtesy of Keke Palmer/Instagram; Courtesy of Darius Jackson/Instagram
Keke Palmer Seemingly Responds to Boyfriend Darius’ Body Shaming, Selling ‘I’m a Motha’ Merch
Standing up for herself. Keke Palmer launched a new merch line, capitalizing off the drama surrounding her and boyfriend Darius Daulton Jackson, after he body shamed her.
“One thing is certain and one thing is true, IM A MOTHA, through and through! [sic]” Keke, 29, captioned a video shared via Instagram on Friday, July 7. “‘IM A MOTHA’ and ‘Stevie to the bullshit’ shirts available NOW!”
The Nope actress added, “To all my mom’s out there, how did your baby change you?? Mine empowered me! On such another level, my perspective changed because when my baby is good I’m GREAT! Look at that face! Gratitude galore.”
In the video clip, which featured a series of photos of Keke’s five-month-old son, the GMA cohost was seen singing Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” changing the lyrics to fit her story.
Keke’s merch drop was announced amid ongoing drama in her relationship that was made public after Darius appeared to shame the sheer black outfit she wore to an Usher concert.
“It’s the outfit tho … you a mom,” Darius tweeted on Wednesday, July 5, alongside a video of the former child star slow dancing with the “My Boo” artist.
He later followed up his tweet with another message defending himself, saying, “We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife [and] mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others [and] he gets told how much of a hater he is [sic].”
“This is my family [and] my representation. I have standards [and] morals to what I believe. I rest my case,” Darius added.
Without responding directly to the father of her child, Keke appeared to be unfazed as she took to Instagram to share a series of photos from her night out.
“I wish I had taken more pictures but we were running late! I am telling y’all right now, if you haven’t seen @usher YOU MUST GO!! HE WAS SO FABULOUS!!” she captioned her post. “Giving theater, Atlanta downnn, tips and tricks and just absolutely iconic. I was truly inspired as a performer. I whooped some ass in spades too! Where is that pic of us all together with the King himself??”
Keke and Darius first met in mid-2021 and went Instagram official with their romance that August. The couple managed to maintain a low-profile relationship before announcing that they were expecting their first child together during Keke’s appearance on Saturday Night Live in December 2022.
“This has been the biggest blessing — I’m gonna be a mom!” Keke said onstage at the time, before jokingly adding, “Even though some people feel a little weird about me having a baby because I was a child actor. I’m 29. I’m grown, I have sex.”
Their son, Leodis “Leo” Andrellton Jackson, arrived in February.
