Overview

• Serena Williams has stated unequivocally that her cameo during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance was not intended as a diss toward her ex-boyfriend, Drake.
• Williams explained in a Time interview that her crip walk was a nod to her and Lamar's shared Compton heritage, inspired by her 2012 Wimbledon celebration.
• Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, defended her on social media, highlighting past criticism of her dance and emphasizing its cultural significance.
• The performance drew 125 FCC complaints and public criticism, including from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, though Williams dismissed such reactions as misguided.
• Williams expressed mixed feelings about the backlash but maintained that her focus remains on her family and broader commitments to women and sports.