Keke Palmer Shades Ex Darius Jackson In New Music Video With Usher

Keke Palmer leaves no stone unturned regarding the game of shading!

The "Nope" actress seemingly aimed a bit of shade at Darius Jackson, the father of her newborn son, in Usher's recent music video. This comes after he had publicly criticized an outfit she wore to one of the singer's concerts in July. After revealing that she was expecting her first child with Jackson in 2022, the former couple welcomed their son Leodis "Leo" Andrellton, in February 2023.

The track "Boyfriend" music video showcases the two stars preparing for a night out in Las Vegas, complete with dance sequences. The "Akeelah and the Bee" star even sang snippets of Usher's classic tune, "U Remind Me."

Adding to the mix, the audio features him singing, "Somebody said that your boyfriend's looking for me." Intense! In a split second, as her gaze meets the 44-year-old's, Palmer seamlessly morphs into his likeness, donning the same silver Usher chain and aviators, clad in an identical outfit.

The 29-year-old also nails the "U Got It Bad" singer's choreography, even mastering his signature foot shuffle. However, the part that grabs attention is the video's closing scene. The five-time NAACP Image Awards winner realizes that it was merely a dream and she never actually left her sleep. 

With a sigh, she exclaims, "I'm so tired," and winks at the camera, playfully adding, "I am a mother, after all." The collaboration serves as a playful nod to the online buzz ignited by Usher, Palmer, and particularly her former boyfriend in early July. 

In case you missed it, Usher serenaded and danced with the mother-of-one at his Las Vegas concert, leading Jackson to respond with a tweet criticizing her outfit. "It's the outfit, though... you're a mom," he wrote. Hours after tweeting that, the fitness instructor came back to report:

"We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn't want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a hater he is. This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case."

After getting mixed responses from his followers, he concluded his posts about the Primetime Emmy Award winner's attire by responding to a fan, "Last tweet of the day for sure. That's for the real ones to understand."

While the father of her child was busy calling her out online with his comments, Palmer ignored it all and chose to share her experience as a new mom. The "Cold Case" guest star mentioned having newfound strength and confidence since welcoming the tiny tot.  

In an interview with The Cut for their July cover story, the "Jump In!" star spoke about motherhood's transformative power: "After having my baby, I've just gotten so much more powerful. I'm just so strengthened wildly. Strutting my stuff, enjoying."

Delving deeper into her thoughts, the MTV Video Music Awards host revealed that before becoming a mother, she had grappled with self-consciousness, especially as a "public figure" where appearances often held significance.

"Always trying to be on point with my body and ensure I'm taking care of this and that. There's a lot of physical attention," the "Strahan, Sara, and Keke" co-host shared. 

Fortunately, she found solace in celebrity trainer Corey Calliet, who played a crucial role in helping deal with the various changes. He emphasized that the goal was not to revert her "body to how it was before a baby" as it was not "something to hide" but "something to embrace." 

During the interview, she affirmed her dedication to valuing herself and acknowledged the path that led her to her current perspective. Encouraging other mothers, she emphasized:

"Do you, new moms. Do you. Girl, if there's one person on this earth that loves you for sure, it's that baby. Be happy, because there's no love like it. Somebody loving you like that, hell, who cares?"