Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance ended up being a star-studded affair.

Serena Williams reignited rumors of a beef between her and hip-hop star Drake after she popped up and did the Crip Walk during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

Lamar’s halftime performance garnered some strong reactions (both good and bad), with some criticizing the rapper’s personal and political agenda being put on display for so many people—and that was not the only complaint people had about the Super Bowl.

This mashup of Lamar’s hits was backed up by appearances from singer SZA, a biting commentary on the American political system narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, and the American tennis legend.

Does Serena Williams Have Beef With Drake?

Super Bowl
Serena Williams got in the Super Bowl fun, popping up during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance.

Williams was seen during the performance doing what is known as the Crip Walk while Kendrick set up his Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us”—which was released as a diss track against fellow rapper Drake during the pair’s beef in 2024.

The retired tennis star’s appearance during the performance, along with Lamar’s continued disdain for the Canadian Degrassi-actor-turned-rap-legend, has some wondering if Williams, too, has beef with Drake.

To start, Williams’ appearance in the performance was likely spurned on by her connection to the community of Compton, California. Both Williams and Lamar are vocal advocates of the Los Angeles County community, which alone would explain her joining in on Lamar’s big Super Bowl moment.

As for her Crip Walk dance, this seems to be yet another touchstone harkening back to Williams’ Compton-based origins (which, again, she and Lamar share).

She had, however, previously found herself awash in controversy after performing the Crip Walk as a celebration when beating Maria Sharapova in the 2012 London Olympics, because of the move’s association with the criminal gang, The Crips.

After the Super Bowl performance, Williams directly addressed this, taking to social media saying, “If [she] had danced like that at Wimbledon, she would have been fined.”

Even though Williams and Lamar’s connection as Compton icons would be enough reason to have her appear during the Super Bowl performance, there is yet another layer on top of that, and it comes back to Drake.

Both Lamar and Williams share in having a beef with the Canadian rapper. The tennis legend previously was rumored to be in a relationship with the “Hotline Bling” singer after he mentioned her in his song “Middle of the Ocean.”

Williams has never publicly denied these romantic rumors; however, her popping up during Lamar’s performance at Super Bowl LIX could be seen as an act of defiance against Drake.

Her Crip Walk has been taken by some as Williams dancing on Drake’s ‘proverbial’ grave and joining in on Lamar’s critique of the rapper.