Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson Dispel Split Rumors, Celebrating Her B-Day as a 'Partner in Crime'
Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson celebrated her 30th birthday together amid reports that they split earlier this month.
The pair chatted it up on Instagram Live as Darius, 29, took the former Nickelodeon star out for a special birthday meal on Saturday, August, 26. Despite the drama surrounding them after Darius mom-shamed Keke for the sheer outfit she wore while attending an Usher concert in July, he had nothing but positive things to say about her.
"Virgos don't believe the hype, they are the biggest spokesperson for themselves," Darius said before calling Keke his "partner in crime."
In addition to their special one-on-one time, Darius shared a special birthday tribute for the "Standards" singer.
"Happy Birthday to a one of a kind being. Hoping your 30s brings you many joys & triumphs!" he wrote via Twitter alongside a video of Keke with their son, Leodis, whom they welcomed in February.
Keke, for her part, celebrated her milestone birthday by posting sexy moments from a photoshoot. Some of the snapshots featured the Illinois native topless in sexy underwear and others in a form-fitting leather bodysuit. One picture stood out more than others, as Keke flaunted her backside and exposed a tattoo of Darius' birthday, "January 21, 1994."
The Hustlers actress and Darius maintained a lowkey relationship ever since they started dating in August 2021. Keke shocked fans when she announced they were expecting baby No. 1 during her Saturday Night Live debut monologue in December 2022. They welcomed their son, Leodis, a.k.a. "Leo," two months later and became a sweet family of three.
However, Keke and Darius hit a rough patch after he publicly expressed his dislike of her outfit when she attended an Usher, 44, concert in Las Vegas with friends.
The True Jackson, VP star rocked a see-through maxi dress with a mini black bodysuit underneath, highlighting her fabulous curves. While fans went wild over the daring ensemble, Darius mom-shamed her on Twitter, writing, "It's the outfit tho ... you a mom."
"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 ," he wrote in a follow-up tweet, doubling down on his feelings. "This is my family [and] my representation. I have standards [and] morals to what I believe. I rest my case."
Fans believed Keke and Darius quietly split after the incident, though neither of the pair publicly addressed the situation or confirmed a breakup.
Come August, Keke fueled the rumors by starring in Usher's music video for his single "Boyfriend," and reports claimed she and Darius called it quits shortly after.
Darius slammed the reports and set the record straight via Twitter on August 18.
"I haven't spoken to anyone about anything or gave permission to anyone to speak for me," he tweeted, adding, "So all these sites & post about me making any type of statement is false."