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Keke Palmer has historically chosen to keep her private affairs away from prying eyes, and understandably so. The gifted performer, known for both her acting and singing, has been a public figure since her youth, debuting in the 2006 movie Akeelah and the Bee at just 13 years old. Since then, Keke’s fame has grown immensely in the entertainment world, which has brought considerable attention to her intimate life. Despite all the hearsay, Keke has consistently stated that she doesn’t want to label her orientation, although this hasn’t deterred admirers from making assumptions. Therefore, who has Keke Palmer been romantically involved with throughout her career?
We’re revisiting Keke’s past romances below.
Rodney
It’s suggested that Keke was romantically linked to Rodney from approximately 2010-2013. Even though she never officially confirmed their relationship, she hinted at it in 2012 during her appearance on Sway In The Morning. In response to claims that she was residing with Rodney at the time, she appeared to acknowledge their relationship while clarifying they weren’t living in Atlanta. “Why would I relocate to Atlanta?” Keke inquired with the hosts. However, she did verify that they were living in California. When asked to address the rumors himself, Rodney even remarked that he found the tabloid stories about his connection with Keke “amusing.”
Meek Mill
Keke Palmer spoke about rumors that she and Meek Mill were dating back in 2014 [Shutterstock].Rapper Meek Mill and Keke’s names have been mentioned together previously, but it appears the gossip never evolved beyond speculation. During an episode of her brief 2014 talk show Just Keke, the star referenced the rumors. “I wasn’t surprised that, when they asked who would be an astrological match for me that it would be Meek,” she mentioned on her show, indicating that the two celebrities’ astrological signs were supposedly compatible for a strong bond. “First of all, my producers know about the rumors and stuff like that. But also, on top of that, astrologically [Meek] and I are a match,” she clarified.
“I’m the type of person that’s like, we don’t need to beat around the bush…I know we all [are] thinking about the Meek Mill rumors and it doesn’t really matter to me because he and I are very cool.” Despite the fact that Keke never explicitly confirmed or refuted a possible romance, she was comfortable discussing the rumors surrounding her romantic life.
Quincy Brown
Keke Palmer and Quincy Brown were rumored to be dating after working together on the set of ‘Brotherly Love’ [Shutterstock].During the filming of the 2015 film Brotherly Love, rumors began to spread that Keke and her co-star Quincy Brown were in a burgeoning romance. As with her prior speculated relationship, Keke never outwardly confirmed anything, but that did not prevent fans from wondering. Although she never spoke about how long the two were an item or other aspects of her love life, she did post a video diary in 2016 in which she talked about a breakup that had left her “heartbroken.”
Mike Johnson
Mike Johnson seemingly asked Keke Palmer out in October 2019 [Shutterstock/SplashNews].This potential pairing nearly brought the internet to a standstill. Following his time on Hannah Brown‘s season of The Bachelorette, fan-favorite Mike Johnson appeared to ask Keke out during his October 2019 appearance on Strahan, Sara, and Keke. Keke was completely taken aback and addressed the moment afterward. “I don’t know, it really scares me to date people in the industry. That’s number one. Number two: He asked me in front of everybody. I felt totally, like, ambushed. I felt ambushed. I felt like it was a big ol’ gag. I’ve been doped.” Clearly, only what fans witnessed on TV occurred here.
Styn
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This might be the most candid Keke has been about her romantic life. In late February, Keke was seen in Hollywood holding hands with music artist Styn. The pair had just grabbed some coffees when paparazzi caught a few photos of them. Styn and Keke have actually been associated since around 2019. Keke, who seldom shares details from her personal life on social media, even starred in a September 2020 video on Styn’s account. She also hinted at the possible romance when chatting with Page Six just prior to the holidays in late 2020! “Yes, you know I have some love in my life, you know there’s some love there,” she mentioned to the outlet. “You know, it’s not a love life if I share with you because it’s public. So at the end of the day, just know your girl Keke is not lonely — ever!”
Darius Jackson
Keke and Darius commenced their relationship in 2021 and welcomed their son, Leodis “Leo” Jackson, in 2023. While the pair appeared to have a joyful and entertaining relationship, things took a turn after the birth of their son. Darius stirred up controversy when he criticized Keke on X (previously Twitter) for her attire while Usher serenaded her onstage.
“It’s the outfit tho … you a mom,” Darius wrote. He then continued in a separate tweet reiterating his views.
The couple appeared to settle any disagreements, but fans were still indignant over Darius’ contentious critique of the Nickelodeon alumna. By the end of 2023, Keke verified that they had broken up when she requested a protective order against Darius and sought exclusive custody of their child. Furthermore, Keke accused Darius of domestic abuse in her filing, alleging that he “trespassed into my home without my knowledge or consent, threatened me, then physically attacked me — lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch, and stealing my phone when I told him I was going to call the police,” according to People.
Keke and Darius traded accusations of abuse, with each pursuing legal action against the other. Nevertheless, following a court-mandated mediation, Keke and Darius were able to come to an amicable agreement regarding joint custody of their son, Leo. The Nickelodeon alumna even expressed that she is “proud” of her ex in her 2024 book, Master of Me.
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