NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Usher and Keke Palmer should be ashamed of themselves. Usher dropped a new song and video titled “Boyfriend” with Palmer as the female lead. Seems innocent, right? But it was downright tasteless and disrespectful on a few levels.
With the internet buzzing over the Keke Palmer and Usher incident that occurred in Las Vegas at one of his shows, someone’s manager or PR person figured it was a good idea to strike while the iron was hot. Yes, this is still a business and entertainers must do whatever they have to do to remain relevant. But not tear down the idea of family. And a black family at that. And that’s exactly what Usher and Keke Palmer did.
While the internet is torn between the events, the video should not have been done. Hell, the song itself should not have been made. It’s like Usher went into the studio right after the Vegas event and penned a quick song just to make fun of Palmer’s boyfriend. And by Palmer being in the video, that made matters worse. Imagine if the boyfriend had been in a Cardi B video after she dissed Palmer in an interview.
The lyrics alone should have made Palmer think twice about the video as Usher sang “Somebody said that your boyfriend’s lookin’ for me/ Oh, that’s cool, that’s cool Well, he should know I’m pretty easy to find/ Just look for me wherever he sees you.“
But now, here we are. What’s more damaging is that they actually had the perfect time to end all of this and show unity. At the end of the video, it was clear that Palmer was dreaming. As she awoke to answer a phone call, you could see a man’s body laying next to her in the bed. She said she fell asleep and missed the show. After all, she is a mom. And then she winked and smiled.
Usher And Keke Palmer Are Bullies
At that point, it would’ve been a cool gesture to have her, her boyfriend, and the baby in the bed. That would have been the ultimate sign of togetherness. But no, controversy sells, and Usher, despite all his success, still craves attention. Keke should know better and if she doesn’t, she will learn that family is way more valuable than a spot in a music video. At the end of the day, that man and that baby will be in your life forever while Usher is just a moment.
Can’t really be too mad at Usher as his track record as far as broken homes go is legendary. But Keke, as a black woman, should have protected her circle instead of making fun of it.
The saying around the internet is that he should have known what he was getting into when he decided to date a celebrity. Well, she should have known what she was getting into when she decided to date out of her field.
No matter what happens in their home, that’s between those two. Is he innocent in all of this? No, but no man or woman should be disrespected at this level on any platform. Palmer used her and Usher’s status to publicly humiliate the father of her child. If he decides to respond or seek revenge for even sue, then what? This is not a game. In a time when we’re all preaching the stronghold of the black family, this video was damaging to that idea.
The rumor is that he is now moving on from Palmer. Good for him and good for her. This relationship, at least from the outside looking in is not healthy and has all the signs of turning into a Lifetime movie if not resolved. Family should be everything but in today’s society, it’s cool to talk about, but not execute.
Do I think that Keke Palmer is for the streets? No. What she is, is a black woman spreading her wings. But as men are told, don’t lay down or move in with a person if you’re not ready for that commitment. That was her mistake. The idea of family sounds good until that idea becomes a reality. The father is no saint either but to be dragged through social media by celebrities when he doesn’t have the power to fight back on their level is straight bullying. That’s what makes all this so petty.
