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While Super Bowl LIX was filled with high-octane football action, the most talked-about name wasn’t a player—it was Serena Williams. The tennis legend made a surprise cameo during Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime performance and instantly went viral for her dance moves, and more notably, her history with Lamar's longtime rival, Drake.
Social media buzzed with reactions, with many users on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting that Williams was “dancing on [Drake’s] grave,” interpreting her appearance as subtle shade aimed at the rapper.
Clearing the Air on Drake: “Absolutely Not”
Now, in her Time 100 interview, Serena has addressed the controversy head-on, setting the record straight about the perceived dig at her rumored ex-boyfriend.
“Absolutely not,” Williams firmly stated when asked if her performance was meant as a diss. “I would never do that. And that was sad, that anyone would ever think that,” she told Time. “I respect how they could. Obviously I can see how someone would think that. But absolutely not.”
Despite Drake’s past jab in his 2022 track Middle of the Ocean, where he referred to her husband, Alexis Ohanian, as a “groupie,” Williams made it clear that she holds no grudges.
“I’ve never had negative feelings towards [Drake],” she added. “I’ve known him for so many years.”
Stephen A. Smith’s “Trolling” Theory? Williams Responds
After the ESPN talking head Stephen A. Smith chimed in and said Williams was "trolling her ex," she shot down the theory gracefully. "This is literally the last-" she said. "We are investing in women and in sports, so come on."
A Symbolic Moment with Compton Roots
During Lamar's halftime set, Williams joined him on stage to perform his hit diss track. Not Like Us, performing a crip walk, was performed atop a raised platform. It gave rise to both awe and controversy because it's a move symbolic of both her and Lamar's growth in Compton, California.
"Who would have thought a tennis player from Compton would be referred to as one of the greatest tennis players of all time?" she reflected. "It was just putting an exclamation on it."
How the Performance Came into Being
Williams later shared that "it was something they were trying to do for a long time," which she revealed to be the reason for her presence on the field during halftime. "They kept calling to say they had been trying to get something together for forever," she said on Instagram, adding that they loved her crip walk celebration at the 2012 London Olympics when she celebrated her gold medal.
What's her reaction to the invitation? "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!"
Mixed Feelings in Hindsight
And though, in retrospect, it was a viral moment, it seems all that attention has left some ambiguity in Williams' mind. "I don't know if I regret it or not," she said. "I don't know the answer to that."
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