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Keke Palmer has always been a force of nature and has done things the way she wanted to do them, regardless of who approved. However, the outfit-shaming from her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson made headlines in July 2023 when he boldly challenged how she dressed while enjoying a Usher concert in Las Vegas.
A little over a month after the outfit drama, Keke and her then beau broke up. A source said People at the time when Darius had “passed on” from the mother to his child. Later, a separate insider told Entertainment tonight that the outfit-shaming drama had a role to play in their split. “Keke and Darius called it quits shortly after he called her out on Twitter for her outfit at Usher concert,” they said. “Keke is focusing on her work and her 6-month-old son.” They also claimed that while the now-exes “have been co-parenting,” they are “not together.”
Keke enjoyed a night out with her girls at Usher’s Vegas residency show. A video circulated of the singer serenading Keke while wearing a black bodysuit under a sheer polka dot cover-up. When Darius saw the video, his reaction was less than happy. “It’s the outfit tho.. you’re a mom,” he wrote in one tweet, before he deletes his account completely.
When he was called out marring her outfit of fans and defenders, he doubled down on his belief, adding: “We live in a generation where a man in the family doesn’t want his wife and the mother of his children to show off their cheeks to please others and he’s told how much of a hater he is. This is my family and my representation. I have standards and morals in terms of what I believe. I rest my case.”
Keke surprised her fans with announces she was pregnant during her first hosting gig for Saturday Night Live on December 3, 2022. The former child actress later announced the arrival of her first child on 27 February 2023, two days after the child’s birth. At that time Keke too shared the first pictures of their son, whom they named Leodis Andrellton Jackson. Of course, fans now want to know everything about Keke’s ex-boyfriend.
Continue reading to find out more about the actress’ now-ex, Darius, below.
Darius is a jack of all trades
Darius Jackson has worked in both the fitness and entertainment industries over the years, according to his LinkedIn page, as of US Weekly. Over 19,000 followers have subscribed to his YouTube channel, as of the business where he proclaimed to be an instructor at Inspire Fitness.
At Inspire Fitness websiteDarius revealed that he played football at Fresno State University on a scholarship. “Since my childhood, I got into fitness from playing sports. I’ve always been active since then,” he said. The site also claimed that Darius “pursued his career in and received a certificate in radio.”
How did Keke & Darius meet?
While both Keke and Darius appear very private about their personal lives, it has been reported that the couple first met at a Memorial Day party hosted by Uncertain star Issa Rae.
Darius & Keke’s Instagram drama
It wasn’t until the couple became Instagram official in August 2021 that fans found out about the romance. “You have been a blessing from above,” Darius wrote of Keke at the time on his Instagram. “Never expected the summer of 2021 to turn out the way it did, but here we are. I’m glad we were able to help each other through our lowest times and show each other that what we bring to the table is all we got.”
However, in March 2022, fans noticed that Keke and Darius deleted all photos of each other from their Instagram pages. They also followed each other up, which has caused breakup rumors to fly.
His brother was on ‘Insecure’
The happy accident of bumping into each other at the Memorial Day party may all be thanks to Darius’ brother, actor Sarunas Jackson. Sarunas played Dro on Uncertain with Issa Rae and was reportedly invited to a bbq by her, with Darius joining, according to Subway.
Keke & Darius are better off as co-parents
During a 2026 interview shared by Rolling Stone’s TikTok account, Keke acknowledged that she and Darius were in a healthier place parenting their son.
@rollingstone @Keke™ says she’s in a better place with her ex: “I mean, there’s no easy way to say it. But I can’t say it didn’t have anything to do with God. Because it did. I feel like God does incredible things and whether people believe in God or not or how they see God in their lives… I always try to leave a positive vibe for God, which sometimes will mean…” #KekePalmer #exboyfriend #God #positivevibes #believe
♬ original sound – Rolling Stone
“I mean, there’s no easy way to say it. But I can’t say it didn’t have anything to do with God. Because it did,” Keke said. “I feel like God does incredible things and whether people believe in God or not or how they see God in their lives… I always try to leave a positive vibe. And sometimes that means distance… And God will heal the rest.”
