Keke Palmer is breaking her silence about how things “got so out of control” during her relationship with Darius Jackson.
“It was the hardest thing I ever had to go through,” the actor, 31, wrote in her upcoming memoir, “Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative,” according to People magazine.
Palmer noted in her book that “having a baby” was “a big stressor” on her relationship with the fitness instructor, adding, “Not just with my romantic relationships, but with family and friends, it’s always become a burden. Too many voices get in. It can make everybody else not trust you. It’s hard to explain,” according to excerpts in People.
Palmer’s relationship troubles hit the internet in July 2023 after Jackson publicly shamed the “Nope” star for wearing a sheer dress to an Usher concert.
In one tweet, Jackson criticized Palmer for “showcasing her booty cheeks to please others” and complained about being viewed as a “hater” for expressing his opinions about his then-girlfriend’s attire.
“It’s the outfit tho.. you a mom,” he wrote in a separate, since-deleted tweet at the time in response to a video of Palmer being serenaded by the singer.
The incident came just months after the pair welcomed their first child together, son Leodis, in February 2023. The former couple had been dating since 2021.
Their relationship woes escalated in November 2023 when the former star of the “True Jackson, VP” sitcom filed a restraining order against her boyfriend and requested sole custody of Leodis.
In court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Palmer accused Jackson of domestic violence, citing “many instances of physical violence” during their two-year relationship.
“It got so out of control,” Palmer told People. “The only way I knew how to bring order was through the court.”
Despite dealing with stress in her relationship with Jackson, she said in her book, “I wish I could say he was terrible the entire time or that I was,” according to excerpts published by People. The book is due out Nov. 19.
“But it wasn’t that black-and-white and that was the problem,” she added, according to People. “I didn’t want my son to think his father is a monster, because I don’t.”
In her new interview with People, the “We Are” singer recalled the beginnings of their relationship.
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“When we met each other and we had fallen in love, it was very much so ‘this is the time.’ Not only is this the person but this is the right time. It was a conscious decision. We planned [to have Leodis].”
Watch Palmer’s interview with People below.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
