Keke Palmer and Usher recently revisited their headline-making moment from his 2023 Las Vegas concert—a performance that ignited a social media frenzy and even stirred controversy in Palmer’s personal life.
The two reunited on the Feb. 11 episode of Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, where they reflected on the night that Palmer described as unforgettable.
“My reaction [to the show] was just like, ‘I can’t believe it. I haven’t seen anybody perform like this in such a long time,’” Palmer, 31, shared. “Now obviously, everybody went crazy. We caused some ruckus in my relationship.”
That night, Palmer attended Usher’s concert wearing a sheer black dress when he serenaded her—something he frequently did with celebrity guests, including Issa Rae and Taraji P. Henson. However, the moment sparked backlash from Palmer’s then-boyfriend, Darius Jackson, who publicly criticized her outfit in a now-deleted tweet, writing, “It’s the outfit tho… you a mom,” referring to their son, Leo.
During the podcast, Usher, 46, lightheartedly asked Palmer if he was to blame for the fallout in her relationship.
“I don’t want to take any responsibility for breaking everybody’s home up, but that wasn’t the purpose and point,” he joked.
He added, “It was for you to have a good time with your girls. Come out there and just enjoy… You looked fabulous, by the way. And if you didn’t wear what you wore, I wouldn’t have seen you. You were fabulous, amazing. I was like, ‘Oooh, Keke, come here, girl.’”
Palmer confirmed she enjoyed the experience and acknowledged that relationship struggles are normal.
“People have problems. Relationships have ups and downs. If Usher ends up being there, it’s just coincidence,” she said.
Their conversation also touched on Palmer’s role in Usher’s Boyfriend music video, which premiered just a month after the controversy.
“I know it was a hot moment for you and I was like, ‘You know what? When life feeds you lemons, you make lemonade. I think that this could be something positive and actually just shine a little bit of fun on it,’” Usher shared.
He continued, “Let’s do something that just takes the mind off of it and just have a good time. Don’t focus on the drama.”
With plenty of laughter and mutual admiration, Palmer and Usher made it clear that their viral moment was just that—a moment—while they continue to thrive in their respective careers.
