'Baby this is Keke Palmer' meme trends amid ongoing colorism debate

Keke Palmer weighed in on the recent colorism debate. (Image via Theo Wargo/Getty)

American actress Keke Palmer has taken a stand against people comparing her career trajectory with that of Zendaya's.

On July 25, Palmer took to Twitter to weigh in on the ongoing colorism debate. She addressed people who have been stating that the actress' popularity will soar now that she has starred in Jordan Peele's directorial film, Nope.

Starting her Twitter thread, she stated that getting compared to other Black people is a an example of colorism. She then went on to point out the achievements she has had so far.

"I’m the youngest talk show host ever. The first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, & the youngest & first Black Cinderella on broadway. I’m an incomparable talent. Baby, THIS, is Keke Palmer."

Continuing the Twitter thread, she wrote:

"I’ve been a leading lady since I was 11 years old. I have over 100+ credits, and currently starring in an original screenplay that’s the number one film at the box office #NOPE. I’ve had a blessed career thus far, I couldn’t ask for more but God continues to surprise me."

Palmer's clarification stems from a tweet made by @NBAgladiator on July 24, which highlighted that despite both Zendaya and Palmer being child actors, their popularity in the mainstream media has been different.

After Palmer tweeted her thoughts, several social media users lauded her by writing, "Baby, this is Keke Palmer," which has been trending on Twitter ever since.

'Baby This is Keke Palmer' meme explained

The viral meme trend was created on June 21, 2020 by accident. A now-suspended Twitter account, @TrixieNumba9, posted a picture of Palmer, captured during a press conference of Akeelah and the Bee, alongside an explicit caption.

To this, another user, who remains anonymous, responded:

“Excuse me ma’am, not to be disrespectful or rude but could you please take post down. That is my sister who was killed by a metra train. And it this post is very disrespectful. Idk who you are or if you even know her but I need you to take this down please.”

@TrixieNumba9 later shared a video of their conversation on her Twitter handle, where she responded to her plea stating:

"Baby, this is Keke Palmer."

The phrase has prompted several memes over the years, with celebrities and even Palmer herself pitching in.

As per news outlet In the Know, in March 2021, Palmer shared a picture of herself on social media where she wore a wig and glasses to imitate her old, legendary picture. She even captioned the image, writing:

“Baby, this is Keke Palmer. This is motherf***ing Keke Palmer.”

After Palmer tweeted the iconic phrase on her Twitter handle, her followers started posting pictures and memes with the phrase again. Several users also hailed Palmer for taking a stand, stating she can never be old.

On the professional front, Palmer will next appear in The Hospital and Being Mortal, as per IMDb.