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.
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- New York, NY – Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian arrive at Anna Wintour’s Pre-Met Gala Dinner. Serena sported a bright neon yellow dress, while Alexis kept things classic in a navy blue suit. Pictured: Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian BACKGRID USA 5 MAY 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Hollywood, CA – The 2024 ESPY Awards at The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. Pictured: Serena Williams, Olympia, Alexis Ohanian BACKGRID USA 11 JULY 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: Juan Rico / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- 2023 Met Gala – Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art – Arrivals. Featuring: Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams Where: New York, New York, United States When: 01 May 2023 Credit: Jennifer Graylock/INSTARimages
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- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
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- Celebrities attend the 2024 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California Featuring: Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian, and Olympia Ohanian Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 11 Jul 2024 Credit: Media Punch/INSTARimages
Serena is a black woman in ‘Merica who dominated a previously white sport fpr decades. She, like Duchess Meghan. Will be criticized no matter what she does. The chorus of criticism deflects from what is really going on in the country while further marginalizing black women no matter how accomplished and successful.
Amen TnDemocrat! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Exactly this. Thank you @TN DEMOCRAT.
I have to start out by saying I’m an almost 60 year old white guy from central Texas. But I have a suggestion for people like Serena and Meghan. With Trump getting rid of DEI. Then doesn’t that mean that either of them can create companies that are either strictly all black employee’s or even all women employee’s. I think it’s time that all minorities start creating their own business’s. And yeah I know that is actually difficult. But it doesn’t look like their going to be allowed into the all boy’s (white) clubs that are out there now. The white guys won’t let you into their clubs. Then start your own and don’t let them into yours.
I’m an old white woman and I LOVED that halftime show! I loved seeing Serena! No complaining from me! 🙂
Stephen A. Smith is a self hating man — even this old broad knew the significance, he didn’t miss it, he was looking for a reason to find fault.
Ooof the Serena critics. Not only do we get racism but we get the misogyny as well.
Stephen Smith has never been married and engaged once. He’s quick to say it’s no one’s business why he didn’t married. Since sh@tting on BW is a sport, it’s convenient to forget that Drake is bitter and spends most of his time obsessing over women who moved on from him. Everyone is fine with him talking sh@t but the minute a BW speaks up and wants to be petty all of the sudden shes the bad guy. This is gaslighting 101.
What an idiot.
Alexis is such a wife guy and I love that for Serena. She deserves the absolute best.
She was trolling her Wimbledon critics…and Drake. And her husband likely thought it was awesome and hilarious and supported her. Stephen a Smith’s take is ridiculously absurd. Is he married cuz I’m thinking not?
No he is not – go figure LMAO
Nope, not married. He has two daughters, though, poor kids. Money won’t buy them a decent father.
Yes, this. She was roundly criticized in 2012 for doing 10 seconds worth of dancing after winning the singles gold medal. The media were vile to her and I loved seeing her at the Super Bowl half time dancing with so much joy.
And incels like Drake and Stephen A Smith don’t understand that your spouse SHOULD be your groupie and support all your endeavors. Not understanding that is why they don’t have anyone as their ride or die. I’m just glad Serena found hers.
I love the fact that Alexis always has Serena’s back and is fast with the public clapback.
No one, that I’ve noticed, is talking about how many funerals Kendrick’s has had for Drake.
Never been married because of his “demanding work schedule.” But he has two kids, because those famously require no time.
I feel like Alexis is such an example of the anti-toxic husband.
One time on social media he posted something that was a before and after of his spice cabinet – before Serena, after Serena. It still cracks me up to think about it.
He knows he married someone who was all those things that Kaiser said – a GOAT, an icon in her own right – and he loves that about her and supports her. He reminds of Harry in that I think he loves when people are excited to see Serena, get her autograph, whatever. Her light does not diminish his own.
And then he’s going to defend her against the trolls.
Remember the Serena doc on HBO a few years back? I got the impression that Alexis knows what a catch Serena is and that he treats her like the queen she is.
I LOVE SERENA…and I now love him too. He has her back, always!
Did anyone else see her dancing at first and think- that dancer looks just like Serena Williams!!
Mr. Lamar plays chess with his Pulitzer Prize winning lyrics and his incredibly thoughtful, symbolic halftime performance.
I thought Serena’s cameo was funny regarding drake.
I had completely forgotten about her gold medal win crip walk that got all the racists upset.
There was a washington post oped condemning her for that celebration.
A black woman in white spaces, as we know, gets an unimaginable amount of hate and criticism.
The whole thing was brilliant.
And i love that Serena found a good man to stand by her side.
Drake is really one of those “nice guys” isn’t he?
The awful creep who acts sweet and then is the absolute worst if you don’t completely submit to and adore him.
Serena is a QUEEN for that cameo. And she looked AMAZING.
I saw her, didn’t realize it was THEE SERENA and thought, “damn, that dancer has really nice legs!” lol
I did a double take. I too thought, geez that looks like Serena. Loved her outfit, too.
Of course she is…🙄
I have been watching her dancing on repeat for 24 hours. I loved it!
Right!!
Fox needs to put that thing on a streaming service like Netflix did with Beyonce’s xmas day performance.
I have been watching the performance clips on Threads- every time i see one.
But Serena- that was my favorite moment.
Her crip walking was in the context of Kendrick’s entire performance, which was about navigating America as a black person and having to balance being true to your own culture/talent/creativity and also being ‘palatable enough’ for mainstream white Americans. The Uncle Sam character in the show, played by Samuel L. Jackson, literally says this. He calls Kendrick’s first songs too ghetto and says he needs to play something else, softer.
Serena was trolling her Wimbledon critics, her critics in general, and Drake. She was also announcing herself as a woman who is one of the greatest tennis players to have ever played the game and a black woman who originated from Compton.
Exactly! Thank you so much for this awesome post!
x1000 – I was going to make a similar post but this one is so much better. It really is crazy how so many people, especially other Black people, don’t get this. I imagine a lot of them were too young to remember what Venus and Serena went through but for those who are older it’s really embarrassing to see.
As i said on the earlier post, the halftime show was bigger than Drake. When i saw Serena there I thought about the criticism she got for c-walking at the Olympics not Drake. Drake is just part of a bigger discussion.
Same–totally forgot she ever dated Drake. And I still think this was more about the ridiculous criticism she got at Wimbledon than anything to do with him.
It was so fun to see her cameo….she looked amazing.
I mean of course she is, drake fans are going to be in their feelings and everything about that show was going to upset Fox News types. I mean she was doing a dance associated with a gang (which why anyone cares I’ll never know).
I do think a lot of people are missing Kendrick’s bigger message of the show, including the Serena part because they are focused on how perfectly petty he is. But like he said 40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music- Serena was there to troll drake and the establishment and country.
She knew what it was I think she went in knowing what would come and walked right in head held high ready for the fight. And it was brilliant. Side note she’s a great dancer.
I thought the whole outrage of Serena doing the crip walk at Wimbledon was that her sister was killed by a crip or gang related so her doing a dance that glorifies the gang was not a good look. Otherwise, the dance has become so popular that it’s no longer gang related but moved to popular culture for west coasters
Misogynoir mixed with “Culture War” trolling to draw attention away form the corruption from the current administration. Watch the morons fall for it to.
This is what they are being told to be angry about instead of their rights being stripped away
How about… all critics of Serena who aren’t Black women take a deep breath, step back from even thinking about this and instead start using their energy and waking hours on criticising Felon47’s maladministration and the way they’re planning to do away with the principles of democracy while destabilizing the foundations of society.
Serena is a queen, and her c-walking was glorious.
Stephen A. Smith is just a troll.
Serena, like Kendrick, is also a proud Compton native who has to deal with disrespect all the time. To say it was bait about Drake is to miss the entire point. SMH.
Stephen A. Smith is an ESPN talking head whose entire job is to bellow controversial hot takes. Occasionally the camera catches him looking exhausted after a particularly vigorous rant.
Some people find him entertaining; I don’t. No one takes him seriously.
All the negative commentary just reinforces one of the best commercials of the night. “You can’t win. So win.”
Oh gosh, their daughter looks JUST like her dad!! Talk about a mini-me.
Stephen A Smith is an old man who’s been on the TV too long.
It sure is a Mystery why Stephen A. Smith hasn’t been married yet. 😒