What!? Serena Williams Does the Crip Walk at the 2025 Super Bowl Half Time Show!

[Chevdove]

 

What!? Serena Williams Does the Crip Walk at the 2025 Super Bowl Half Time Show!

 

What a show! Man! It was awesome! Controversial but nonetheless dynamic! I really thought that the Super Bowl performance with Snoop et al. could not be matched, but I think that this one was insane! 

 

I'm not schooled well on the Rap industry but I now am learning about the heavy hitters and am impressed. I've never really heard about Kendrick Lamar and I vaguely remember that he was part of the other Super Bowl too, but now, I am schooled. I also vaguely remember his music being featured in a major gymnastic college competition too. Back then, I did not realize that he was that successful. But now, well, I've watched that performance over and over again, and I am amazed! 

 

I almost fainted when he said, "Cultural Divide"! And then he said, "Forty Acres and a Mule"! 

Oh WOW! Shoot! I was on the floor! LOL!

That show was dope! And Samuel L. Jackson! 

 

 

Kendrick Lamar

 

But yes. This show has led to a lot of controversy! It was said that many people wondered if Kendrick was going to perform his Grammy award song "Not Like Us" and well, he did!

Not only that but, SZA, performed too and she was awesome as well. Then towards the end, the cameras quickly captured a cameo of the beautiful, gorgeous, Ms. Serena Williams as she broke out with the C-Walk! I thought I was going to faint all over again! I don't know how many times I watched her cameo! 

 

Many people are outraged for one reason or another about this dance linked to the Crips and I can understand that as well, not until now, it has become shockingly made known that Serena Williams had another sister of whom was murdered by a Crip gang member back in 2003! What!?

 

Yes, Serena and Venus' half-sister, the late Yetunda Price, was shot and killed by a Crip gang member. Also, like Kendrick Lamar, I found it to be interesting that Serena is from Compton as well and agreed to perform a cameo with Lamar. What a queen! 

 

And so, Serena came out in a royal blue tennis outfit and after the show, she was filmed in the car with hubby and child headed back to her privacy. 

 

 

Serena and Yetunde months before the latter was shot dead (SGranitz/WireImage for ESPN)

 

But then there is another interesting tidbit; It seems interesting that both Sza and Serena has had a connection with Lamar's rival Drake! And that is a whole nother story! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ProfD]

Kendrick Lamar delivered in spades. Sam Jackson was great. SZA was sizzling. Serena Williams' C-walk repped Cali to the fullest. Excellent show. Powerful message.

[Troy]

From what I understand from those much more versed in rap culture than I, was that Serena‘s Crip walk was also part of the diss to Drake.

 

All things considered I’m not a fan that Kendrick used this tremendous platform to escalate a beef with another black rapper. 
 

I would be surprised if I didn’t appreciate the fact that wealthy white folks like to pay us do this type of thing. 
 

we have a 40+ year-old GOAT, someone’s mother, crip walking?! Did anyone notice what she was spelling out or was she just celebrating gang culture.

 

I don’t know… I’m I the only one who thinks that was inappropriate, particularly on that stage?

[ProfD]

38 minutes ago, Troy said:

All things considered I’m not a fan that Kendrick used this tremendous platform to escalate a beef with another black rapper. 

Kendrick didn't use that platform to escalate the beef. He had already won that battle.  He used the platform to make a bigger political statement about America.

 

38 minutes ago, Troy said:

we have a 40+ year-old GOAT, someone’s mother, crip walking?! Did anyone notice what she was spelling out or was she just celebrating gang culture.

Serena wasn't celebrating gang culture or dissing Drake.  The dance is popular in Cali.

38 minutes ago, Troy said:

I don’t know… I’m I the only one who thinks that was inappropriate, particularly on that stage?

You're not alone.  Many white folks and conservative Black folks think similarly.

[Troy]

4 hours ago, ProfD said:

He used the platform to make a bigger political statement about America.

Are you saying that he did not invest any energy in dissing Drake during the Super Bowl performance?
 

4 hours ago, ProfD said:

The dance is popular in Cali.

Popular dance? I guess times have changed. I thought of you weren’t affiliated with the Crips you shouldn’t do it.

 

4 hours ago, ProfD said:

Serena wasn't celebrating gang culture or dissing Drake.

So you don’t believe there was any meaning behind having Serena Williams of all people doing that particular dance to “they not like us” of all songs?

 

4 hours ago, ProfD said:

You're not alone.  Many white folks and conservative Black folks think similarly.

Well, I’m not white, and I’m generally pretty progressive socially. I suspect it’s more of an age (ie wisdom) thing.
 

The interesting thing is there is so much musical talent in New Orleans That could’ve been tapped without the distracting controversy. It was good to see Jon Baptiste and Trombone Shorty performing. 

[Troy]

@ProfD I guess you agree with Keith Boykin

 

“Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was not a divisive distraction. It was a critical and defiant celebration of Blackness in a time of adversity.”

 

 

 

[ProfD]

8 hours ago, Troy said:

Are you saying that he did not invest any energy in dissing Drake during the Super Bowl performance?

Right.  Kendrick didn't perform the most scathing parts of the song.

8 hours ago, Troy said:

Popular dance? I guess times have changed. I thought of you weren’t affiliated with the Crips you shouldn’t do it.

Times have changed.  Folks can do the C-Walk dance without a beef.

 

8 hours ago, Troy said:

So you don’t believe there was any meaning behind having Serena Williams of all people doing that particular dance to “they not like us” of all songs?

It was a performance.  

 

8 hours ago, Troy said:

The interesting thing is there is so much musical talent in New Orleans That could’ve been tapped without the distracting controversy. It was good to see Jon Baptiste and Trombone Shorty performing. 

New Orleanians Ledisi and Harry Connick Jr. also performed during the Super Bowl.  Master P and marching bands were there too.  Local talent was in the building.

 

3 hours ago, Troy said:

@ProfD I guess you agree with Keith Boykin

 

“Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was not a divisive distraction. It was a critical and defiant celebration of Blackness in a time of adversity.”

Of course, I'll always be a huge proponent of Black folks using their platforms to speak up and out against racism white supremacy.

[Troy]

5 hours ago, ProfD said:

It was a performance.  

Come on brother man I know it was a performance, but it was not without context.. Why not get Steph Curry or Mike Tyson to do the Crip walk or more realistically a professional dancer?

 

I think Kendrick tried to do both , address America’s oppression of Black people, and diss Drake. You’re bending over backwards to ignore the diss and I’m not sure why.

 

Perhaps you don’t want to acknowledge the fact that going after Drake diminished the message of critique America’s racism. Perhaps you don’t want to acknowledge the fact that this Blackman went after another in the most public way. Perhaps you reject the idea that it was just sophisticated buck dancing.

 

To me, it’s like watching Will Smith slap the hell out of Chris Rock and react by talking talk about Will Smith great achievement as an actor

[ProfD]

21 minutes ago, Troy said:

Come on brother man I know it was a performance, but it was not without context.. Why not get Steph Curry or Mike Tyson to do the Crip walk or more realistically a professional dancer?

Serena Williams is one of the biggest stars in the world and she's from Compton.

 

21 minutes ago, Troy said:

I think Kendrick tried to do both , address America’s oppression of Black people, and diss Drake. You’re bending over backwards to ignore the diss and I’m not sure why.

As I mentioned above, Kendrick's diss of Drake was a foregone conclusion when "They Not Like Us" became a hit.  There's nothing to bend.

 

Of course, Kendrick could have not performed the song at all during the halftime show.  He only teased it.

 

Have you listened to Kendrick's performance of the song during the halftime show?

 

21 minutes ago, Troy said:

Perhaps you don’t want to acknowledge the fact that going after Drake diminished the message of critique America’s racism. Perhaps you don’t want to acknowledge the fact that this Blackman went after another in the most public way. Perhaps you reject the idea that it was just sophisticated buck dancing.

None of the above.  

 

Let me know what you saw/heard if you've listened to Kendrick's halftime performance.

 

21 minutes ago, Troy said:

To me, it’s like watching Will Smith slap the hell out of Chris Rock and react by talking talk about Will Smith great achievement as an actor

H8ll naw.  I've already gone on record to say that Will Smith should have been dealt with immediately after that slap.  I thought NY dudes were built different from what Chris Rock showed.

[Troy]

4 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Have you listened to Kendrick's performance of the song during the halftime show?

yes. We all stopped playing poker to watch the show. One of my buddies is a DJ and he explained the beef and what Kendrick was doing. 
 

how knowledgeable about the Kendrick/Drake beef are you?

 

7 minutes ago, ProfD said:

NY dudes were built different from what Chris Rock showed

I’m not sure what you heard about “”NY Dudes,” but I’m curious what should Chris have done in your opinion?

 

what should Drake do?

[ProfD]

39 minutes ago, Troy said:

how knowledgeable about the Kendrick/Drake beef are you?

As a musician and music lover in general, I'm fully aware of it.

39 minutes ago, Troy said:

I’m not sure what you heard about “”NY Dudes,” but I’m curious what should Chris have done in your opinion?

Chris should have knocked Will's azz out.  But, I can appreciate how Chris ultimately handled it.  Get the paper.

 

39 minutes ago, Troy said:

what should Drake do?

Drake should not make another song dissing anybody else.  Lyrically, he's not built for it.  In fact, he doesn't write his own rhymes.

[Troy]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

As a musician and music lover in general, I'm fully aware of it.

I’m not a musician, but I’m definitely a lover of music but not  I was oblivious to the  childish beef. 
 

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Chris should have knocked Will's azz out. 

I think Chris handled it wel,l certainly better than I would have.

 

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Lyrically, he's not built for it.  In fact, he doesn't write his own rhymes.

Most musicians don’t write their own music or song lyrics. I would not hold that against Drake. But I agree he should not release a song dissing anyone. I don’t think any rap artist should producers rap dissing another artist for the enjoyment of white folks — which is the primary purpose of rap today.

[ProfD]

1 hour ago, Troy said:

Most musicians don’t write their own music or song lyrics.

Many artists don't compose their own music and lyrics i.e. Patti Labelle.

 

A musician/songwriter can produce music and lyrics i.e. Stevie Wonder.

 

1 hour ago, Troy said:

I would not hold that against Drake.

Right. He's an artist who doesn't produce music or lyrics. 

 

In Hip-Hop, J. Cole is an artist who does everything (music and lyrics) from top to bottom.

 

1 hour ago, Troy said:

I don’t think any rap artist should producers rap dissing another artist for the enjoyment of white folks — which is the primary purpose of rap today.

Fewer and far between nowadays, most rap diss tracks don't really bubble up to the mainstream.

[Chevdove]

4 hours ago, ProfD said:

Drake should not make another song dissing anybody else.  Lyrically, he's not built for it.  In fact, he doesn't write his own rhymes.

 

 

Ha ha! For real! Game over!

 

5 hours ago, Troy said:

what should Drake do?

 

Drake should concede.

He started it.

 

Kendrick shut him down! Even Obama weighed in and hailed Kendrick. Of course, Snoop completely supported him as well. 

In the song, Kendrick said that Drake is acting like a Colonizer which is in reference to his 'identity theft' in that he thinks that he can be a whole representation to Rap and Black culture when in truth, he did not grow up in the hood! He didn't grow up hard like Kendrick, yet he thought he could be better than Kendrick at Rap!?

 

Drake started the beef. 

 

But, I do agree too though, that this kind of Diss Rap Music is SO OUT OF MY UNDERSTANDING! 

 

 

 

And no, I do not believe that Drake is NOT a Black man. IMO he is a Black man because his father is Black and from America. Although his mother is a White woman, an Ashkenazi Jew, and she divorced his father, Drake.  So nonetheless, Drake, is a Black man, however, he was raised by this mother, and that is in his own words. 

 

Drake is a Black man due to his father but culturally, he is raised by his mother and that would be his culture. 

 

He is NOT LIKE US.

 

But, my issue is that, because Drake is a Jew, this kind of conflict can be completely exploited and for this reason, I hope that Kendrick and Drake will one day make peace.

 

I understand the conflict but I just do not like it that it can be exploited. Historically, there has been a significant presence of the European Jews of whom took sides with Black Americans during our struggle and this should never be forgotten. We should never allow division. 

 

But again, I have no beef against Kendrick because Drake started it. He was arrogant and thought that he was equal to Kendrick in the Rap culture, and how many times does this kind of arrogance seem to creep up when we embrace someone into our culture!? 

[Chevdove]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Troy]

20 hours ago, Chevdove said:

Even Obama weighed in and hailed Kendrick.

Yeah, that video appeared in my feet too. I’m beginning to dislike YouTube even more. They positioned the video as if Obama was weighing in on the Drake Lamar beef or I don’t think he really was.

 

Google will do anything for money. 
 

20 hours ago, Chevdove said:

he did not grow up in the hood! He didn't grow up hard like Kendrick, yet he thought he could be better than Kendrick at Rap!?

I don’t think growing up hard is a requirement for being a good rapper. It doesn’t disqualify you either. Does Drake rap about growing up hard or ghetto life as if he was about it? If he did who really cares he definitely won’t be the first person to do that ice cube is a gangster rapper and he didn’t grow up in the life and he was great.
 

20 hours ago, Chevdove said:

He was arrogant and thought that he was equal to Kendrick in the Rap culture,

Again, I don’t follow this stuff, but it’s been shoved in my face… I heard that Drake was large before anybody knew who Kendrick was and that Drake put Kendrick on one of his tours helping him out. Obviously Kendrick is about as large as you can get right now but it’s not like Drake is a nobody. I did not know Drake was Jewish. He wouldn’t be the first Jewish person to exploit the rap industry

[Chevdove]

2 hours ago, Troy said:

I don’t think growing up hard is a requirement for being a good rapper. It doesn’t disqualify you either. Does Drake rap about growing up hard or ghetto life as if he was about it? If he did who really cares he definitely won’t be the first person to do that ice cube is a gangster rapper and he didn’t grow up in the life and he was great.

 

You know, I think that the Rap Industry sort of starts with the ones that grew up hard though but I could be wrong; it's not my genre. However, if that is truth then, this would be part of the contention and why Drake was labelled 'a Colonizer'. So, even though it is not a requirement, but for some reason, Drake came to be viewed as antagonistic in the industry. 

 

There are others in this industry that did not have the same background as Kendrick that did very well and are accepted in the Rap community, for example, Eminem. But even though Eminem does not have the same roots, however, he did have a hard life too, and I can feel this kind of energy in his music. 

 

I did not know this about Ice Cube! That is news to me!

 

Nevertheless, Drake seems to have picked a lot of beef with several musicians and i think he has thin skin. 

He became well known for this and even participated in a skit once on SNL! 

I hope that Drake will drop the lawsuit and let it go. Personally, I just don't believe that he is guilty of being a pedophile and I don't think that Kendrick is a wife beater either. 

 

This feud, again, began with Drake. He started it along with Cole and Kendrick came back at them. They deserved what they dished out, nevertheless, it should have not been taken personally. None of the other rappers took it personally, only Drake took it personally. 

 

Yes, You Tube is blowing this thing up more and more. 

Crazy. 

 

2 hours ago, Troy said:

Again, I don’t follow this stuff, but it’s been shoved in my face… I heard that Drake was large before anybody knew who Kendrick was and that Drake put Kendrick on one of his tours helping him out.

 

I am scratching my head on this! It came out of no where, but then, that's probably because it is not my genre. I never knew!!!

Then now, I am looking and saw that Kendrick was making hits years ago. In 2017 his song was so famous that he beat Kanye!

And Kanye supports Kendrick! He speaks so well of him. 

Kendrick's song, Humble made 2x Diamond! 

He has now beat everyone, even Michael Jackson. This is crazy. 

 

I think though, about Drake, yes, Kendrick and Drake did tour once, but that is the problem. Drake seems to be upset because he wanted to control the narrative which included Kendrick. Both J. Cole and Drake compared themselves to Kendrick and referred to themselves as 'the Big 3' so, yeah, they started the challenge!!!

 

Kendrick did not start this. 

 

 

 

[Chevdove]