Serena Williams Breaks Silence on Super Bowl Crip Walk & Drake Speculation
Serena Williams is setting the record straight on why she hit the crip-walk during the most-watched Super Bowl Sunday ever. Since the halftime show, social media has been buzzing with…
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FEBRUARY 09: Serena Williams performs onstage during Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)Serena Williams is setting the record straight on why she hit the crip-walk during the most-watched Super Bowl Sunday ever. Since the halftime show, social media has been buzzing with theories—was she shading Drake by joining Kendrick Lamar on stage? Two days after the viral moment, the tennis legend is giving fans the answer.
The last time Serena did the C-walk in front of a massive crowd was in 2012 when she won Olympic gold in London. But back then, the reaction wasn’t so positive. Instead of praise, critics slammed her for supposedly promoting gang culture, rather than recognizing it as a nod to her L.A. roots.
So for Serena, hitting the Super Bowl LIX stage was her way of reclaiming the moment. When Kendrick and his team invited her to collaborate, she ran with it—literally!
“When @kendricklamar and team called and was like ‘we’ve been trying to do something forever, what about this? We loved your crip walk at the Olympics after you won the gold medal.’ I’m like Super Bowl? Are you serious? When in the world would I ever be able to dance at a Super Bowl? (Never) let’s do it! I knew my winning dance after the @olympics would pay off one day. End of story.”
But was this also a subtle jab at Drake? Serena didn’t confirm or deny it! The rapper, who once publicly admired her, later dissed her and her husband in his music. Many fans thought it was no coincidence that her big moment happened during that part of Kendrick’s set—and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith agreed.
On First Take Monday, Smith made his opinion clear, even joking about what he’d do in Serena’s husband’s shoes.
"If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his a--, ‘cause clearly you don’t belong with me," Smith said, making his colleagues laugh. "What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye."
Later that same day, Serena’s husband, Alexis Ohanian, chimed in, reminding everyone that this moment was about more than just music.
“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,” he wrote.
