Serena Williams knows how to make an unforgettable appearance, and at the 2025 Super Bowl, she did just that with a few smooth dance steps. During Kendrick Lamar’s high-energy halftime show, the legendary tennis player made a surprise cameo that left the internet buzzing. As Lamar performed his hit “Not Like Us,” Williams briefly hit the crip walk, a move that immediately sent shockwaves through social media. Now, Williams has opened up about that unexpected moment.

For a fleeting second, hip-hop culture and sports collided in a way that no one saw coming. As Kendrick Lamar delivered a fiery rendition of his diss track aimed at Drake, “Not Like Us,” the camera panned to a corner of the stage, where Serena Williams was spotted effortlessly performing the crip walk. The move, which she executed with signature style, left fans in awe. It was a reminder of Williams’ influence not just in sports but in pop culture as well.

The crip walk originated in the 1970s from Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson, a member of the Crips, a prominent gang based in Southern California. Though the dance move is rooted in gang culture, Williams’ adoption of it speaks to her deep connection to the streets of Compton, California, her hometown.

This wasn’t the first time Williams had shown off her dance skills. Back in 2012, after winning a gold medal at the London Olympics, she made waves by crip walking during her victory celebration. That moment sparked a mix of praise and controversy. Some fans saw it as a joyful expression of her heritage, while others criticized it as inappropriate, given the dance’s association with violence. Despite the backlash, Williams remained unapologetic, defending the move as an authentic display of emotion. One fan pointed out, “The kids in Pittsburgh do it at prom, not everything is controversial.” Another fan echoed similar sentiments, calling it a “moment of raw emotion,” and suggesting people should “embrace realness from athletes.”

Fast forward to the 2025 Super Bowl, and Williams again found herself in the spotlight. As Lamar’s performance hit its peak, the camera captured her confidently executing the crip walk to the beat of “Not Like Us.” This wasn’t just any performance; it was a subtle but powerful statement in the ongoing feud between Lamar and Drake. Williams, who had once dated Drake before marrying Alexis Ohanian, found herself caught in the crossfire of the two artists’ rivalry. Lamar’s inclusion of her on stage seemed to take the feud to another level, making her brief appearance even more significant.

Despite being only a few seconds long, the moment ignited social media. Fans couldn’t help but admire Williams’ effortless cool and her ability to make an impact with just a few dance moves. One tweet read, “This game sucks, but Serena just won the Super Bowl.” Others marveled at the collaboration between Lamar and Williams, with one fan commenting, “Kendrick repping Compton and Serena bringing that legend status — what a moment.”

As the Eagles triumphed over the Chiefs, Williams took to social media to share a clip from the halftime show. In the video, which quickly garnered millions of views, she humorously remarked, “I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon, or I would have been fined.” Fans flooded the comments, praising her for stealing the show. One admirer noted, “Serena Williams, the Converse, the outfit, the dance moves, the feature in Kendrick’s Super Bowl halftime show—winning on and off the tennis court.”

Her appearance was a reminder that Serena Williams doesn’t need a microphone or a victory on the court to make an impression. In just five seconds, with a legendary dance move and the perfect song, she managed to steal the spotlight. In the world of sports and entertainment, Serena Williams’ influence remains undeniable — and she proved once again that she can command attention, no matter the stage.