Crip Walk Dance: Was Serena Williams Just Having Fun Or Did Olympic Celebration Go Too Far?
A crip walk dance celebration has gotten some people mad at Serena Williams for what they believe is her nod to a violent gang culture.
After defeating Maria Sharapova for the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, Williams unleashed a crip walk, a short dance that involved a few quick steps side to side, Vibe reported. Now the seemingly innocent dance has gotten her in trouble as critics point out that the dance has a much different meaning in the gang culture from which it originated.
The dance came from a gang battle between gangs the Bloods and Crips, USA Today noted, but since then it has gone mainstream. The origins are said to have been in gang-heavy Compton, Calif., which just so happens to be where Venus and Serena Williams grew up.
Williams didn’t see what all the fuss was about concerning her crip walk, telling reporters: “It was just me. I love to dance. I didn’t know what else to do. I was so happy, and next thing I know I started dancing and moving. I didn’t plan it. It just happened.”
“There is a name. But I don’t know if I – it’s inappropriat
The video of Williams’ crip walk went viral quickly, spreading across the internet and spawning parody videos, gifs and even outrage in some corners of the internet, Vibe noted. Bill Plaschke, a sports columnist with the Los Angeles Times, said the crip walk dance showed just how out of touch Williams has become.
Serena C-walking at Wimbledon only shows how long she’s been away from home, separated from violence and death associated with that dance
— Bill Plaschke @ LAT (@BillPlaschke) August 4, 2012
Isn’t there some kind of dance done by multi-millionaires who live in exclusive South Florida neighborhoods? That’s shud be Serena’s dance
— Bill Plaschke @ LAT (@BillPlaschke) August 4, 2012
She’s not alone in her crip walking. Other celebrities, from Justin Timberlake to baketball player Brent Barry, have been known to unleash the dance. It is also a mainstay among West Coast rappers like Snoop Dogg Lion and Ice Cube.
Serena Williams held back on the crip walk dance after winning the doubles title with her sister Venus.
Tags : 2012 London Olymoics, crip walk, crip walk dance, serena williams, Serena Williams c-walk, Serena Williams crip walk, Serena Williams crip walk dance, what is a crip walk
Posted: August 6, 2012
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Aug 6, 2012
NOW YALL KNO THIS IS BULLSHIT…IT A DANCE DONE MANY OF CELEBS LIKE SNOOP DOGG, BOW WOW, AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS THE RYTHME TO DO SO! THEY JUS SAYIN THIS SHIT CUZ SHE FROM COMPTON! GOIN ON 20 YEARS AND ENDLESS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND GOLD MEDALS WON THEY STILL WONT LET HER FORGET WHERE SHE CAME FROM! GET OVER IT IT WAS JUST A DANCE…SHE WASNT GON SHOOT THE BITCH! BE MAD THAT SHE CELEBRATED WHICH IS NOT GOOD SPORTSMEN NOT AT THE DANCE SHE DID..
Aug 6, 2012
She was raised in that part of California. That dance is so mainstream now it's no more of a threat than baggy pants. The history behind is bad yes, but I can almost guarantee you that's not what she meant by it at the time.
Aug 6, 2012
I guess Serena should have danced without keeping a beat to keep those racists happy. This dance is just another attempt at marginalizing black culture. If this dance was allowed to enjoy the mainstream appeal that it evidently has, then no Gang or negative group could use it as their own. Dance Serena and rename the damn thing the SERENA VICTORY BOOGIE!
Aug 6, 2012
Stuuuuuuupes…Beyonce has done this dance, Rihanna has done this dance…a lot of celebrities do this dance…give me a damn break!
Aug 6, 2012
when some do it is is fun and wacky, when others do it we have a lot to say. we are no longer in the days of Arthur Ashe.
Aug 6, 2012
Any excuse to minimize her accomplishments….but that they can't! Go Serena, dance your heart out, through our dance & music our people have survived…that they can't take from us! PEACE!
Aug 6, 2012
I actually thought it was a pretty cool dance and I am puzzled as to what the issue is.
Perhaps it was just too cool
Aug 6, 2012
I actually thought it was a pretty cool dance and I am puzzled as to what the issue is.
Perhaps it was just too cool
Aug 6, 2012
what is the issue i would really like to know,give the girl a break,she is the best ever!!!
Aug 6, 2012
We really need to be vigilant, Frederick!
Aug 6, 2012
What should she have done, curtsy? Or course, then Wimbledon and her critiques would find that prudent, even if she would then be celebrating a culture that has been soooo cruel to her people.
Aug 6, 2012
What should she have done, curtsy? Or course, then Wimbledon and her critics would find that prudent, even if she would then be celebrating a culture that has been soooo cruel to her people.
Aug 6, 2012
What should she have done, curtsy? Of course, then Wimbledon and her critics would find that prudent, even if she would then be celebrating a culture that has been soooo cruel to her people.
Aug 6, 2012
Players were only excused from bowing and curtseying to members of the Royal Family as recently as 2003. Someone should ask critics, who is historically the bigger gang and responsible for more killings of innocent people, the royal families of Europe or the Crips of LA? My money is on the former.
Aug 6, 2012
Sharapova to Serena: Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful..
Aug 6, 2012
So What! Idiots! Oh Yeah…. And it's not The Jitterbug….. It's The Lindy Hop…..
Aug 6, 2012
Of course nothing can be said against it….because she's black…all she has to do is play the card…Too bad she has to denigrate the death of her sister by doing it.
Aug 6, 2012
you can take the black out of Compton, but you can't the Compton out of the black, you can take the person out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the person, glad I live in the white hood of Redondo Beach, CA, never saw any crip dancing in Redondo Beach.
Aug 6, 2012
Serena to Sharapova: dont hate me because I am beautiful…. and have a body like Warrior Goddess while you look like a unfed malnourished emaciated stick figure!
Aug 6, 2012
The Crip Walk is just a dance signifying nothing… if you look on Youtube you see a cross section of people doing the dance….
Aug 6, 2012
what was the song back in the day? Black is Black.
Aug 6, 2012
this ain't Africa.
Aug 6, 2012
people are just stupid! Let that lady have her moment, she earned it!!
Aug 7, 2012
Its sad that some people are making this a race thing. Which is typical of many. But its not a race thing. The African American culture should not be tied to what is a gang dance. It has nothing to do with race. Millions of blacks find this offensive. So don't play the race card on this one.
Aug 7, 2012
This dance she did or other idiot celebrities do doesn't make it right. This dance represents hate, disparity, and the years of suffering our inner city youth has suffered through gang violence. I'm sure there are many parents out there affected by such pain that do not find it just a dance.
Aug 7, 2012
If Justin Timberlake actually did this it makes him an especially fn idiot.
Aug 7, 2012
IM SO HAPPY ALL OF YOU SEE RIGHT THROUGH THEIR B.S. !! WHO THE HELL CARES ABOUT WHAT THEY (MEDIA) LIKE OR DISLIKE !! KUDOS SERENA !! GET YA BOOGIE ON !! FUCK EM ALL !!
Aug 7, 2012
YA KIDS DO THE CRIP DANCE EVERY DAY !! GO ASK DEM ………….
Aug 7, 2012
You go Serena! I loved the dance after your victory!