Keke Palmer’s relationship with former boyfriend Darius Jackson drew public attention after Jackson criticized the outfit Palmer wore during a July 2023 Usher concert in Las Vegas. A video from the show showed Usher serenading Palmer while she wore a black bodysuit under a sheer polka-dot cover-up. Jackson responded on social media by objecting to the look and later defended his comments by saying he had “standards” and “morals” about how the mother of his child should present herself. The backlash was immediate, and the incident became a major talking point online.
The controversy came shortly before the couple split. Reports at the time said Jackson had “moved on,” while other entertainment sources indicated the outfit criticism played a role in the breakup. Although the pair were no longer together, they remained focused on co-parenting their son. Palmer later welcomed her first child, Leodis Andrellton Jackson, after revealing her pregnancy during her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live on December 3, 2022. She announced his birth on February 27, 2023, two days after he was born.
Before the split, Palmer and Jackson had mostly kept their relationship private. They reportedly met at a Memorial Day party hosted by actor Issa Rae, though they did not publicly confirm their romance until August 2021, when Jackson posted a message calling Palmer a blessing and reflecting on how they helped each other through difficult times. By March 2022, fans noticed that the two had deleted photos of each other from Instagram and unfollowed one another, fueling breakup speculation before the relationship ultimately ended.
Jackson has worked across both the fitness and entertainment industries. According to his public professional profiles, he has been involved in fitness instruction and online content, including a YouTube channel with a large following. He also played football at Fresno State University on scholarship and has described himself as pursuing a broadcasting career.
His connection to Palmer may have been helped by his brother, actor Sarunas Jackson, who appeared on Insecure alongside Issa Rae. Sarunas was reportedly part of the social circle that led to the couple meeting in the first place.
In a 2026 interview shared by Rolling Stone’s TikTok account, Palmer said she and Jackson were in a better place as co-parents. She spoke about healing, positivity, and the role faith has played in her life, suggesting that time and distance helped improve their dynamic for the sake of their child. Palmer’s comments reflected a more peaceful chapter after a highly public breakup that had briefly put her personal life at the center of entertainment headlines.
