Tennis legend Serena Williams' appearance during during the Super Bowl half-time show is said to have been a 'clear dig' at rapper Drake after the pair's frosty past. She sent fans wild after showing up during Kendrick Lamar's performance, and both of them have something - or someone - in common. The two musicians have a well-known feud, and football fans quickly made the connection between Serena's appearance and her past relationship with Drake, which reportedly began more than a decade ago.
The pair called it quits months after he was blasted for her poor form on court. Reflecting a year later, she told Glamour magazine: "I don't think that was fair. I'm the one who's playing, who's making mistakes or making winners. I'm not one to blame anyone else for anything. And I don't think anyone else should either.". Kendrick, who had previously stood up for Serena, got involved during their rap battle last summer, dissing Drake in "Kendrick getting Serena Williams to crip walk while performing not like us is nasty work," with the lyrics: "From Alondra down to Central, n***** better not speak on Serena.".
Although it was not officially confirmed, Serena and Drake were said to have been dating for a number of months. He was seen supporting the Grand Slam queen at various tennis tournaments, including Wimbledon. He sent a very flirty tweet to her saying: "@SerenaWilliams I cannot wait to put it on you and make you sweat……. during our match this weekend.". During the Halftime Show, Kendrick performed the diss track, stopping just short of the "pedophile" line, but otherwise delivering the full force of the insult. To fans, bringing Serena on stage served as a clear emphasis on the diss, a move that added fuel to the ongoing feud between Kendrick and Drake, reports the Mirror US.
One fan commented: "He really said 'say Drake' and smiled straight at the camera.... and then brought out Serena Williams. He's sick in the head." Another added, "Kendrick getting Serena Williams to crip walk while performing not like us is nasty work," Serena's dance move was made even more memorable by her stunning outfit - a white shirt under a blue jacket, paired with a matching Royal blue tennis skirt and white and blue trainers. Her hair was styled down in curls with blonde highlights.
A different fan observed: "Kendrick bringing out Serena Williams to crip walk after Drake stalked that woman publicly for years and obsessively threw shots at her for turning him down is so wild, that man is the definition of chaotic good.". Meanwhile, another pointed out: "While all this focus is on Serena, people are forgetting that SZA is his ex too," Kendrick may have been tactical with his guest list, as he also invited SZA to join him. Drake confirmed their past relationship in 2020 when he rapped about dating SZA in 2008 on Mr. Right Now.
SZA later clarified that it was all "love and peace" between them, but corrected the timeline. She posted on X that they were actually together in 2009, suggesting that Drake might have tweaked the dates for the sake of his lyrics. SZA emphasised: "I didn't want anybody thinking anything underage or creepy was happening. Completely innocent. Lifetimes ago.". At the time SZA and Drake were dating, she would have been approximately 19 years old while Drake was around 22. Although Drake was never officially or legally implicated in any misconduct, Kendrick made several jibes that hinted at Drake's penchant for dating with a significant age gap.
