Kendrick Lamar made history on February 9, becoming the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the NFL Super Bowl Halftime show. The Compton native was introduced to the masses by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson, who was dressed as Uncle Sam.
Adding to the list of surprise appearances were SZA, who joined him onstage to sing Luther and All The Stars, and tennis legend Serena Williams, who danced along to Lamar’s record-breaking diss track, Not Like Us.
For those unaware, the track was released on May 4, 2024, and came amid Kendrick Lamar’s highly publicized rap beef with Drake. The track and its contents supposedly miffed the Canadian rapper so much that he filed lawsuits against many, including Kendrick Lamar and the Universal Music Group.
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Serena Williams’ appearance was seen by many as a calculated move by many as the star-athlete allegedly dated Drake. SZA is also said to have dated the rapper, and though she wasn’t on stage while Not Like Us was being performed, her presence during Kendrick Lamar’s performance is also seen as a premeditated strike.
Williams, notably, crip-walked during the performance. While this won over the masses and the Internet, her husband has come forward, opening up about how a similar move once brought her criticism.
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Alexis Ohanian, the internet entrepreneur best known for co-founding Reddit, and husband of Serena Williams, shed light on how Serena Williams was “criticized for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago.”
To the uninformed, Serena Williams was called out by many for crip-walking after defeating Maria Sharapova at the 2012 London Olympics. Associating the move with gang violence, many found it to be a glorification of the same and inappropriate.
While Serena didn’t apologize for it, she seemed to recollect it, remarking, “Man, I did not Crip Walk like that at Wimbledon. Ooh, I would have been fined! It was all love.”
Alexis Ohanian further added that Williams’ moment at the Super Bowl was “bigger than the music” in his tweet, referencing the infamous move that was made 13 years ago.
Serena Williams spoke about the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar at the 2024 ESPY Awards in July, joking that if she had “learned anything, it’s that none of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar.”
Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows…. This is bigger than the music. pic.twitter.com/Xq4O96Yg0s
— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) February 11, 2025
She added that Lamar would “make your hometown not like you” and that Drake would not have a pleasant time at the next Raptors game, making a reference to a moment from the iconic Tom Hanks film, Forrest Gump.
“If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar. He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken.”
