Serena Williams Breaks Silence After Surprise Super Bowl Cameo
Tennis legend Serena Williams has spoken out following her
unexpected appearance during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance
on Sunday.
Williams managed to keep her participation a secret before
stepping onto the stage to "Crip Walk" to Lamar's track Not Like
Us. The song is widely perceived as a diss track aimed at rapper Drake,
referencing a group of "certified pedophiles." Drake has denied the
accusation and is currently suing Universal Music Group for defamation and
harassment over its distribution of the song.
Her appearance only added to speculation surrounding her
past with Drake, as rumors of a romantic relationship between the two have
circulated for years. A line in Lamar’s track also appears to caution Drake,
stating, "better not speak on Serena."
The Super Bowl draws millions of viewers, with many tuning
in just for the halftime show. In 2023, Nielsen reported that 113 million
watched the full game, while Rihanna's performance drew 121 million.
For her performance, Williams wore a blue tennis skirt,
Converse sneakers, a white crop top, and a matching blue jacket as she executed
the Crip Walk—a dance originating in Compton, California, and associated with
The Crips gang, which is known for its blue colors.
Williams later shared a clip of her segment on Instagram,
racking up over a million likes. This wasn’t her first time showcasing the
move—she previously Crip Walked in celebration after defeating Maria Sharapova
at the 2012 London Olympics, a moment that sparked controversy.
Following the Super Bowl, she posted a behind-the-scenes
clip on X (formerly Twitter), where assistants helped her change outfits.
Laughing, she quipped, "Man, I did not Crip Walk like that at
Wimbledon! Ooh, I would've been fined!" The nine-second clip quickly
went viral, shared over 10,000 times.
Another video, which was reposted 27,000 times, showed her
dancing and posing with the caption: "Let's go Super Bowl halftime??! I
died a little!!"
On Instagram, Williams also shared a photo of herself on the
field in a black tracksuit, writing: "Fun casual night and I got to
visit the field." In another post from Caesars Superdome, she
interacted with fans and excitedly announced: "It's the Super
Bowl!!!!!!!! Are you ready?" Speaking directly to the camera, she
joked about football, saying, "Yeah, I think I could definitely not
play football! So I decided that YOLO, when is the next time I'm going to be
able to run on a field?" She then shed her tracksuit bottoms,
revealing shorts underneath, and sprinted across the sideline to cheers from
the crowd.
Reaction to Lamar's performance has been mixed, with some
praising the show and others calling it underwhelming. Newsweek compiled
reactions from social media:
- Tennis
star Coco Gauff called Williams the GOAT and an "icon doing iconic
things."
- The
Women's Tennis Association (WTA) posted a photo of Williams onstage,
dubbing her their "Super Bowl MVP."
- Canadian
hip-hop outlet keep6ixsolid made a controversial remark about Williams
Crip Walking on TV despite the gang’s involvement in the 2003 murder of
her half-sister, Yetunde Price. Price was killed in a gang-related
shooting in Compton as an innocent bystander. Crips member Robert Maxfield
was later sentenced to 15 years for voluntary manslaughter.
Judging by her social media activity, Williams appears to be
enjoying the buzz surrounding her cameo. Meanwhile, Lamar is likely monitoring
reviews of his performance, and Drake's legal battle over Not Like Us
continues.
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