The meaning behind Serena Williams’ cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl half-time show

The appearance of tennis legend Serena Williams during the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl LIX half-time show caught many fans by surprise, but there is a good reason why she was a key part of the performance.

One of the GOATS of women’s tennis, Williams appeared during Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ song, breaking into the scene with her trademark Crip Walk dance from her gold medal celebration at the 2012 Olympics, and wowing fans as her fellow Californian rapped on one of his most iconic pieces.

Nowadays, one cannot think about Kendrick Lamar without thinking about his intense feud with Canadian rapper Drake, sparked by the latter’s lawsuit claim from late 2024 that the very same song in question, the one sung at the Super Bowl, was meant to be a verbal attack on him. Though the beef had started before then, it was this lawsuit that hit the feud to new heights, and became part of the Super Bowl after Lamar was announced to be the performer during the NFL season finale’s iconic half-time show.

Serena Williams’ Link With Drake Kendrick Lamar’s beef with the rapper could be why the tennis legend was involved in the show Close

And this is where the Williams cameo comes into play. Back in 2015, there were rumours flying around about Drake and Williams being in a relationship after the pair were seen in public together and the singer was seen appearing often at the American’s matches, though, those rumours were eventually squashed for good after Williams tied the knot with Alexis Ohanian.

Any thoughts that there was more than meets the eye came back up years later when Drake threw a surprise shot at Ohanian during his 2022 ‘Middle in the Ocean’ song, with the response on social media drawing support from his wife. And perhaps that’s why Williams was happy to make an appearance alongside Lamar in New Orleans.

While the 23-time Grand Slam winner didn’t say anything specific relating to Drake, she certainly let the public know on her social media accounts that she had a great time despite being nervous prior to her entrance. She was also in the thoughts of many fans not just for her half-time appearance, but also for her defence on social media of singing sensation Taylor Swift, who received multiple boos when seen at the game as she was there to support her boyfriend and Kansas City star tight end Travis Kelce.

While the song ‘Not Like Us’ does have a reference to Williams in the lyrics, it wouldn’t strike as odd to believe that Williams’ appearance was another shot thrown at Drake among a multitude of references throughout Lamar’s concert. While he didn’t sing the specific lyrics that drew the most ire from Drake, the message was well clear as fans lost their minds in an unforgettable show that included other big celebrities such as actor Samuel L. Jackson and singing star SZA.

Philadelphia Eagles Defeat Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl It was a dominant first half showing from the Eagles

The Super Bowl half-time show always garners plenty of attention each year, with this one being no exception, but it didn’t take away from what was a stunning 59th edition of the NFL’s championship game as the Philadelphia Eagles dominated affairs to win their second-ever Super Bowl against the double defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a dominant defensive display by the NFC champions, completely clamping down on superstar Patrick Mahomes’ attempts to spark a comeback, winning 40-24 after shutting out their opposition in the first half.

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