Tennis legend Serena Williams surprised everyone during rapper Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show at the Super Bowl on Sunday by performing the crip walk, a dance that originated in Los Angeles. The move highlighted the shared connection between Williams and Lamar, both of whom have roots in the city.
However, the performance also brought back memories of a past controversy at Wimbledon. In 2012, after winning a gold medal at the London Olympics by defeating Maria Sharapova, Williams celebrated with a similar dance. At the time, some critics claimed the dance was inappropriate and accused her of glorifying gang culture.
Williams addressed the controversy in a video she shared on X (formerly Twitter) from backstage at the Super Bowl. Laughing, she said, “Man, I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon. Oh, I would’ve been fined.” She added, “It was all love,” referring to her Super Bowl appearance.
The crip walk was originally created in the 1970s by members of the Crips, a street gang based in Los Angeles. Over time, it became popular in the hip-hop community, especially among artists with ties to the city.
Williams has previously defended her 2012 Wimbledon celebration, with many of her supporters arguing that the criticism she faced was overblown and even racially motivated. “It was just a dance,” Williams said at the time.
Her appearance at the Super Bowl also caught attention for another reason. Williams, who is now 43, was once rumored to have dated rapper Drake, Lamar’s rival. Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss track, which he performed during the halftime show, seemingly references Williams. In the song, titled Not Like Us, Lamar warns Drake, “Better not speak on Serena.”
Williams, who grew up in Compton, California, has been married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian since 2017.
