Keke Palmer is currently on the press tour for her latest book, Master of Me, and during a stop at People, she opened up about a problematic relationship she experienced as a teenager.
Palmer is one of the most versatile artists of her generation. She’s an Emmy-winning television personality, she can lead a summer blockbuster like Nope, and she’s a celebrated singer in her own right. But before all of that, Palmer cut her teeth as a Nickelodeon child actor, and being in that situation, it was easy to feel more mature than she actually was. Her dating life reflected that, as she explained, “I was trying to balance between being really young but also feeling quite mature. If I thought it was inappropriate, then I wouldn’t have done it. Obviously, I shouldn’t have been 15 dating no 20-year-old.”
She went on to detail that relationship, saying it lasted five years before they finally parted ways. Because she was earning a full-time salary, she thought a fellow teenager could never understand her reality, but now she realizes she was wrong.
Palmer has had a few public fallouts with the men in her life. One of the first was with R&B artist Trey Songz, whom Palmer once claimed invited her to a party and, unbeknownst to her, turned the event into an impromptu video shoot, which led her to press charges. More recently, Palmer clashed with her ex and father of her child, Darius Jackson, after she attended an Usher residency in Las Vegas. Jackson criticized her outfit on Twitter, and later Palmer accused Jackson of domestic violence and sought a restraining order.
Master of Me is about Palmer finding healing through the rubble of what has gone wrong in her life. One aspect she addresses is finding some form of resolution with Jackson. Speaking of her teenage relationship, Palmer noted its lasting negative impact, and credited Jackson with making her feel genuinely loved, saying he actually respected her.
Palmer and Jackson have come a long way, but that’s not to say they have rekindled their relationship. During her press tour, Palmer shared that she’s single and ready to mingle, mentioning that her type leans more toward a “nerdy” personality, similar to the character Steve Urkel from Family Matters. Our “nerdy” readers should appreciate that, as they rarely get much attention in pop culture.
Experiences where a young person is taken advantage of can have lasting effects, often leading to cynicism toward life and love. Many young people in such situations feel mature and special, only to carry guilt and shame later on. Seeing Palmer’s journey of conquering her past and learning from it is inspiring, and her book offers fans a chance to learn from her lessons. Master of Me is set to be released on November 19, 2024, and will be essential reading for Keke Palmer fans, especially those who grew up watching her on Nickelodeon. This will be Palmer’s second book, following her 2017 release, I Don’t Belong to You.
