This article mentions allegations of sexual assault and rape.
Last week, Usher sat down with Keke Palmer for a candid chat on her podcast. The pair discussed everything from their viral moment at his 2023 Las Vegas residency to his new Audible special, “The Last Showman” — but now, one particular clip about Usher’s “first kiss” is gaining traction online.
For some quick but necessary context, Usher was just a teenager when he shot to fame following the release of his self-titled debut album in 1994. When he was 13, he spent a year living at Sean “Diddy” Combs’s house, in what he called “Puffy Flavor Camp.”
As you’re likely aware, Diddy was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution last year. He has been accused of rape, sexual misconduct, and extortion dating back to the 1990s across more than 30 civil cases. He has denied all of these allegations.
In 2016, Usher recalled seeing some “wild” and “curious” things while living with Diddy as a teenager. He said on “The Howard Stern Show,” “I got the chance to see some things. I went there to see the lifestyle — and I saw it. But I don’t know if I could indulge and understand what I was even looking at. It was pretty wild. It was crazy.”
Stern’s cohost, Robin Quivers, then asked Usher, “So nobody tried to, you know, some woman didn’t come along and…” The singer interjected and said, “I ain’t say that. I ain’t say that. What I did say is that there were very curious things taking place, and I didn’t necessarily understand it.”
Usher also revealed that his parents knew “nothing” about him living with Diddy. When asked if he’d ever let his own child spend time at “Puffy Flavor Camp,” he firmly replied, “Hell no.”
With this in mind, fans are sharing their thoughts on Usher’s recent response to Palmer asking him about his first kiss during a round of quick-fire-style questions on her podcast.
“How old were you when you had your first kiss, and who was it?” she said.
“How old was I when I had my first kiss?” Usher repeated before adding, “Ummmm, that I actually intended to have?”
Palmer jumped in, “Now wait a minute.”
Usher went on, “You know, I had, there was a couple…you know.” Palmer then seemingly picked up on Usher’s apparent discomfort and redirected the conversation entirely.
“OK, well you know what? That one’s stupid, it’s out. Your favorite song ever, that you’ve done,” she asked instead.
This interaction between Usher and Palmer has since sparked a heap of discourse online. One viral tweet branded Usher’s response “sad” and “telling,” while several users praised Palmer for redirecting the conversation so swiftly.
“This clip is….hm. Very sad and telling. But Keke is very sharp and social/emotionally intelligent. I see why she has gone so far in this industry. Very good interview,” one tweet read.
“And that’s how you pick up on people’s discomforts, while subtly signaling to them that you genuinely see them. Then redirecting to make the space safer for them to feel comfortable,” someone wrote.
“She is so exceptionally sharp and in tune with the space and emotions of others it’s amazing,” one person said of Palmer, while another user commended her for “knowing how to read the room.”
“I really love them both. Keke, the amazing woman that she is, recognized and pivoted because she knew what it was. So many interviewers would have grabbed that moment for ratings,” one more post read.
You can watch Usher’s appearance on Palmer’s podcast in full right here.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
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If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.