Serena Williams has opened up about the story behind her surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show at the Super Bowl.
The 43-year-old tennis legend briefly appeared on stage, dancing to Lamar’s 2024 hit Not Like Us — the track widely seen as a diss toward her ex, Drake.
According to Serena, Lamar specifically wanted her to recreate the celebratory “crip walk” she performed after beating Maria Sharapova at the 2012 Olympics. She said the rapper’s team reached out to her with the idea, and she immediately jumped at the chance.
Sharing behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram, she revealed her excitement:
“Super Bowl? Are you serious? I would never get a chance like this again — let’s do it! I always knew that dance from the Olympics would pay off one day.”
In the video, Serena was shown rehearsing the routine in her trailer before heading out with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their daughters to watch the game. Later, she changed into her trademark blue outfit and returned to the field for her moment on stage.
Though her cameo lasted just ten seconds, Serena called it “the best 10 seconds of my life.” Fans erupted online, not only because of her performance but also because of the track’s connection to her past with Drake.
The dance itself carries extra cultural weight. Born in Compton — where both Serena and Kendrick grew up — the crip walk has deep ties to the community, though it has also sparked controversy due to its links with gang culture. Serena even joked afterward, “I didn’t crip walk like that at Wimbledon — I would’ve been fined!”
Her husband, Alexis, praised the halftime show on social media, calling it “pretty fantastic” as he shared photos from his VIP seat.
Serena and Alexis, who first met in 2015, married in 2017 and now share two daughters: Olympia, 6, and Adira, 15 months.
Despite being just a brief cameo, Serena’s appearance became one of the most talked-about moments of Super Bowl Sunday.
