Serena Williams clears the air on Kendrick Lamar and Drake
Serena Williams has addressed speculation surrounding her appearance alongside Kendrick Lamar at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, firmly denying it had anything to do with her past relationship with rapper Drake.
In a newly released interview for TIME100, the tennis icon reflected on her standout moment performing with Lamar during his performance of 'Not Like Us.' While social media buzzed with theories that the performance was a subtle jab at Drake, Williams shut down the rumors. 'Absolutely not, I would never do that,' she told TIME. 'That was sad, that anyone would ever think that.'
Williams revealed that Lamar reached out just weeks before the game to invite her to participate. The rapper, who admired her infamous Crip Walk after her 2012 Olympic win, wanted to include her in the performance as a nod to their shared West Coast roots. Initially hesitant, Williams eventually agreed, calling it 'an exclamation' on her legacy as a tennis champion from Compton.
Although she admitted she wasn't sure whether she regrets the dance move due to past backlash, she emphasized that there were no hard feelings toward Drake. 'We've known him for so many years. I have never had negative feelings towards him,' she said.
However, her remarks contrast with a cheeky jab she made at the 2024 ESPYs, where she quipped, 'The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they're going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken.'
Despite the headlines, Williams maintains her Super Bowl moment was purely celebratory—not personal.
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