Celebs

PHOTO: Keke Palmer Stuns In Maternity Shoot With Darius Daulton, Thanks Nicki Minaj For Photographer Plug

Keke Palmeris glowing and growing! She’s already credited her unborn little one with clearing her skin after years of acne. Now, Keke is giving Nicki Minaj credit for connecting her to photographer David LaChappelle. The result of the hook-up was a maternity shoot giving ‘poetry’ meets ‘masterpiece,’ per the pregnant lady herself!

On Monday (Jan. 9), Keke shared a stunning photo from the shoot on her verified Instagram account. The image features the actress standing on a blue orb.

Palmer wore a bright yellow dress, which floated behind her while exposing her bare baby bump. As she looked off into the distance with one arm outstretched above her, Palmer rocked a slight smize that Tyra Banks would be proud of.

Darius Daulton, Keke’s boyfriend and father of her first child lifted one arm toward Keke while sitting on a chair a few feet away. He wore orange slacks, brown shoes, a white sleeveless tee with black suspenders, and a tan straw hat. In his right hand, Darius held a single flower.

Though Darius has yet to share the image on his social platforms, Palmer penned a sweet paragraph detailing her excitement for the baby’s arrival.

She wrote:

“It’s giving POETRY. Its giving MICHAEL ANGELO…its giving SISTINE CHAPEL…its giving MASTERPIECE. Behold, a mother, a father, and the blessed baby, we await in pure awe. The greatest gift from above we could ever dream. We cant wait to meet you, little one! We are so glad to be your earth parents as Gods hands are placed so gently over your life.”

Keke also thanked Nicki Minaj“for connecting [her] to David LaChapelle and making this happen.”LaChapelle previously captured Nicki Minaj in a maternity shoot with Papa Bear. The Virgin Mary-inspired imagery was one of the photos Minaj used to announce her pregnancy in July 2020.

LaChapelle also shared Palmer’s maternity photo to his verified account. He revealed that it was “a pure pleasure” to create the image for Keke and Darius, whom he also thanked.

“Keke is one of the nicest people I’ve met,” LaChapelle added in his comment section.

Keke first announced she was expecting in early December, revealing her baby bump during her first hosting ofSaturday Night Live.

Last week, Keke shared footage from her tropical babymoon adventures with Darius.

“Im really proud of myself for resting this trip. I am antsy by nature, I love having a schedule, even on vacation. I learned to at least schedule things leisurely, so I have something to complete thats on brand with the theme of the season.”

Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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