Don’t let anyone fool you, but former child star Keke Palmer is grown grown. Now her fans are forced to accept it and some of the decisions she has made over the past few months.
Despite weeks of bad press, toxic masculinity social media theorizing, and a smoking-hot music video with Usher that fueled all kinds of rumors, the “Akeelah and the Bee” star celebrated her “durty 30” birthday on Saturday, Aug. 26, unapologetically with her child’s father, Darius Jackson.
The two welcomed their son, Leodis “Leo” Andrellton, earlier this year in February. But this marked the first time people saw the pair together in weeks since Jackson’s mom-shaming rant about Palmer’s outfit at the singer’s concert in July. Many of her fans hated seeing them together, while some loved it.
Some simply felt bad for lovestruck Jackson, whom many believe is just too whipped to really break ties even though he thought he was disrespected.
“Darius went right back home to Keke … fuk y’all thought? He was just in his feelings. Sometimes space is needed for reconciliation, reconnecting , reflection and understanding. No place like home,” one Twitter user said.
Perhaps, he was just showing a nice gesture, but Jackson also posted a birthday tribute to Palmer with the caption, “Happy Birthday to a one of a kind being. Hoping your 30s brings you many joys & triumphs!”
Some said it was the Nickelodeon actress who was lovesick.
“My assessment was spot on! She went back home,” one person tweeted.
“After all that talk + the shade in this mv? city girls loses 1M points,” a comment read.
The two seemed to be silly and drunk in love, talking about how great Virgos are compared to other signs. They also spoke about how so many people in Jackson’s intimate circle were born between Aug. 23 and Sept. 23.
In an Instagram Live, Palmer, sporting a trucker hat and block frame glasses, says, “D, know you’ve been taking me out on my birthday as always. 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.”
While the two were out, she asked him to share with her 13.5 million followers what he was saying about Virgos.
“Virgos don’t believe the hype, they are one of the biggest spokespersons for themselves,” he said to the camera.
The multi-hyphenate interjected, saying he really loved Virgos.
Jackson tried to explain himself and said, “[That’s] just because my mom’s a Virgo, my brother’s a Virgo, my best friends a Virgo, my grandma’s a Virgo,” and after an awkward pause, he referenced his relationship with Palmer and said, “My partner in crime is a Virgo… so I am surrounded by Virgos.”
Fans hopped on that quickly with their theories on what “partner in crime” actually means.
“I also suspect that this was Keke Palmer’s first major publicity stunt and Darius was very excited to play his role. ‘Partner in crime’ hint,” one tweeted.
“Partner in crime??? Oh Keke girl pls stand up,” another said in disgust.
“You’re obsessed with Virgos so that’s ok. It is what it is,” Palmer declared. “Get into the Virgos and admit that Virgos are the one. It’s already too late, your Virgo already has you hooked.”
One fan wrapped it up in a statement that probably should be a warning to people wrapped up in celebrity drama: “So we all got played.”
Perhaps we did. Jackson previously called out Palmer for wearing a see-through dress over a jet-black bodysuit hugging her exposed her “booty cheeks to please others” while being serenaded by Usher at his concert last month.
Many accused him of being “old fashioned,” and referred to previous videos he posted of her twerking in a jumpsuit. Palmer has yet to directly address what took place, but she has shared a few subliminal posts on her social media feed.
