ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 29: (L-R) Keke Palmer, Leo Jackson, and Darius Jackson attend the "Big Boss" Closing Night Screening during the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival at Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University on April 29, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/WireImage)
Darius Daulton caused an online frenzy on Wednesday (July 5) after he tweeted a reaction to a revealing outfit Keke Palmer wore to an Usher concert. As of Thursday, his Twitter account appeared to be deactivated.
For context, Palmer recently stepped out wearing a cheeky black bodysuit underneath a black mesh, long-sleeved dress. She paired the look with strappy black heels, wavy hair, and a red lip.
At some point during Usher’s performance, Keke joined the singer on stage, and he serenaded her as they danced closely and hugged. Though most took the moment as playful fangirling, it appears Darius Daulton did NOT.
On Twitter, he quote-tweeted a video of the Usher-Keke moment, writing, “It’s the outfit tho…you a mom.”
As his tweet picked up traction, Keke Palmer fans began dragging Darius online. Within hours, his past tweets entered the conversation, including one about being insecure and another about Alton Sterling’s compliance with officers before his death.
Nearly four hours after his initial tweet, Darius Daulton briefly explained his stance. Calling the actress his “wife”–despite no engagement or wedding announcements–Darius suggested Keke’s outfit represents him.
“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.”
Daulton followed up by telling a Twitter user–who defended his outfit stance–that his explanation was his “last tweet of the day.”
His explanation seemed to fuel the backlash from Keke Palmer supporters. In addition to past tweets, Twitter users highlighted Darius Daulton’s similarly revealing and risqué posts. One included a mirror selfie of him shirtless with black underwear on.
Meanwhile, another resurfaced post featured Darius Daulton praising Keke Palmer as she twerked on-camera. In the clip, he says, “Y’all see this, y’all see this work,” before Keke laughs.
Twitter user @ChinaKeyy wrote:
“So Keke BD was ok when she was dancing in her under garments to Boosie a few months ago? Or different rules cause she was pregnant?”
And while Keke supporters have been holding Darius’ feet to the fire, some have seemingly agreed with his reactions.
“Y’all saying Keke BD corny cause he don’t want his BM with her cheeks out getting held on her waist & sung to? Flood this b***h again lord,” @stanleyearl tweeted.
“India Arie gets bashed for wanting women to represent themselves better on stage. Keke BD getting bashed for not wanting her a** to be out in front of the masses. This is the modern world,” @JordanK0913 tweeted.
SWIPE BELOW TO SEE SOME OF THE REACTIONS
And Darius wasn’t the only one catching heat for the cheeky outfit opposition. One Twitter user, @AmandaDannielle, even called out Daulton’s brother and “Insecure” actor Sarunas Jackson. She quote-tweeted Darius’ explanation and wrote, “Your brother is a wh*re, mind you.”
“Damn, we not the same man lol. I literally haven’t been having sex and been inside. Why am I catching strays,” Sarunas Jackson replied.
A few hours after Darius’ explainer tweet, Keke Palmer shared a re-cap of her night on Instagram. As expected–given her reactions at the concert–Palmer praised “King” Usher’s performance in her caption.
She shared a few photos of the night in a multi-slide post. The first image shows her slightly bent over with pronounced cleavage and a kissy face.
“I wish I had taken more pictures but we were running late! I am telling y’all right now, if you haven’t seen @usher YOU MUST GO!! HE WAS SO FABULOUS!! Giving theater, Atlanta downnn, tips and tricks and just absolutely iconic,” Keke Palmer wrote. “I was truly inspired as a performer. I whooped some a*s in spades too! Where is that pic of us all together with the King himself?? @noraradd”
Meanwhile, Usher cracked a jokey joke on the new social app Threads amid Daulton’s online lashing.
“Am I trending yet,” the singer asked.
Instagram post aside, Keke Palmer has not directly addressed Darius Daulton or his opposing commentary on any of her social platforms. However, on July 4, she took to Twitter to express her love for her man.
“Not tryna be the person but…I love my man, (PERIODT!)”
As of Thursday, Darius’ Twitter account appeared to be deactivated.
