Serena Williams is being criticized for c-walking at the Super Bowl Halftime show

I do feel like people – Drake fans – are purposefully missing the point of Serena Williams’ appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show. It didn’t come out of nowhere, nor did this situation just start when Kendrick told Drake “better not speak on Serena” in “Not Like Us.” Serena and Drake used to date or deal with each other romantically. I don’t know the entire backstory, but it involved Common (whom Serena also dated) and Common and Drake falling out, and Serena also had some tennis-world drama around the same time. What I think happened was that Drake love-bombed Serena and she was okay with it for a while, then she left him for Alexis Ohanian, who eventually became her husband and father of her two children. After Serena was done with Drake, he talked sh-t about her and called Alexis a “groupie.” That’s why Kendrick told Drake to not speak on a Compton girl like Serena. This was not “Serena being obsessed with her ex.” This was Serena clapping back after years of Drake being gross.

Serena also loved Kendrick’s shout-out – she made references to “Not Like Us” when she hosted the ESPYs last year, and obviously, she was game for making that appearance at Kendrick’s Halftime Show. It was about Serena representing Compton AND it was a “f–k you” to Drake after he belittled her husband and father of her two daughters. People even made some very funny jokes about Alexis probably laid out Serena’s clothes for the Halftime show the night before. Alexis also clapped back on people for criticizing Serena’s c-walking.

Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows…. This is bigger than the music. pic.twitter.com/Xq4O96Yg0s

— Alexis Ohanian ???? (@alexisohanian) February 11, 2025

Can I just say? I’m also annoyed by people saying “Kendrick brought out Drake’s EX!” Serena G-ddamn Williams is more than “Drake’s ex.” She’s married to a whole other man, she’s one of the greatest athletes of all time, she’s an icon in her own right.

Last thing: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith decided to speak on Serena’s Halftime c-walk and he had such a bizarre take on the situation. Smith said: “If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass. ’Cause, clearly, you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.” WTF??

Kendrick: “CERTIFIED LOVERBOY, CERTIFIED PEDOPHILE”

Serena Williams: pic.twitter.com/L02aY1PNLA

— Darian Holt ????????????❄️ ➏ (@D_1andOnly_) February 10, 2025

From Compton to NOLA. @SerenaWilliams @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/mnzuP7fJ1N

— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images, Serena’s IG and screencap from the Super Bowl.