Page 12 - Provoke Magazine Vol7

blend of hip-hop, R&B and pop. In 2007 she released So Uncool, her debut effort, which climbed to #85 on the R&B charts. Atlantic execs considered this relatively un- successful, putting her music career on pause.
Rejection and uncertainty are staples of the business, and Keke tries not to take it hard. “Like when I audi- tioned for Akeelah, I think in the first audition I was a little bit afraid because it was, you know, I had seen girls in there that I had seen on TV before and I was like, man, I might as well just walk out of here now. But I went and I was myself, did the lines the best that I could and I kept getting callbacks and callbacks, and as I kept getting closer, I think that, you know, like Akeelah, as she starts to get further in the spelling bee, she started to realize, well, hey, maybe I am good enough if I’m getting this far.” Changing tack, she won the lead for The Longshots, also starring Ice Cube. Her performances were again met with rave reviews.
In 2008, Palmer signed onto a deal with Nickelodeon for the show True Jackson, VP, in which she would play the lead. She also wrote and sang the theme song for the show, earning $20,000 per episode over 3 years. Still just 15, this made her one of the highest paid child stars ever. Her music career revived two years later when she was signed by Interscope Records. While she has yet to pro
duce a charting single, Keke has released several mix- tapes including 2011’s Awaken and a self-titled EP in 2012. She inked a deal with Island Records and is sup- posedly recording material for a studio album.
Since the close of True Jackson, VP, Keke has mostly focused on her TV acting. She secured roles in 2014’s horror film Animal and a recurring part on Showtime’s Masters of Sex. Keke made history as the first black Cinderella on Broadway, playing the role for three months in late 2014. Always busy, she hosted her own talk show, Just Keke, where she discusses the newest fashion trends, social issues and cultural happenings. In 2016 she joined Grease: Live on Fox and released her memoir, I Don’t Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice. Most recently Keke was added to the cast of MTV’s Scream.
The prolific actress/singer/creative is grateful for all those opportunities, even if it’s been a twisting journey with lots of highs and lows. Despite seeming to bleed success with all her major movies and megadeals, Keke admits to some dark times where she doubted the path ahead. Still, she has taken no advice and has no regrets. “I don’t belong to anyone else but myself. I have to make my own decisions.”
-Ness Wess
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