What is a Crip Walk? Serena Williams' guest appearance during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show goes viral

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime is now a viral affair, but possibly more so because of Serena Williams’ crip walk cameo performance to his Not Like Us. The former tennis player shared a behind-the-scenes video in which she said:

“Man, I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon. Oh, I would have been fined!”

Williams also shared another X post in which she posed for photos. Expressing her excitement, she wrote:

“Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little!”

The Crip Walk, or C-Walk, is a dance style that originated in Los Angeles gang culture during the 1980s. Initially used as a way for gang members to communicate through foot movements, it later evolved into a recognized hip-hop dance style by the late 1990s.

According to Samuels World, it was created by members of the Crips gang, who used their feet to "write" letters, names, or symbols associated with their group, often crossing out references to their rivals, the Bloods.

Serena Williams wore blue Chuck Taylors, a matching tennis skirt, and a jacket during her cameo performance. Although born in Michigan, Serena Williams grew up in Compton, California, the same hometown as Kendrick Lamar.

The Super Bowl halftime show featured other stars, including actor Samuel L. Jackson as the narrator and singer SZA, who performed alongside Lamar. She joined him for two tracks Luther from GNX and All The Stars from the Black Panther soundtrack.

Lamar's setlist reportedly included songs from his latest album, GNX, as well as HUMBLE. and DNA. from his 2017 album DAMN.

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Serena Williams said nobody should pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar

In the diss track against Drake, Lamar warns against mentioning Serena Williams. She hosted the 2024 ESPYS Awards and she danced at Not Like Us during the show. She said Kendrick Lamar is a person who could make someone’s hometown not like them. Williams added:

“Some of the best athletes in the world are right here in this room. Some of the strongest, fastest and most skilled people are right here and if I learned anything this year is that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar.”

In 2024, at the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, Serena Williams praised the track, calling it the biggest hit of the summer. She expressed her love for the song and said she enjoys dancing to it. According to Complex, she also mentioned doing the Crip Walk.

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During the early 2010s, there was speculation that Drake and Serena Williams were romantically involved. According to Billboard, in 2015, they were seen kissing, and Drake attended her U.S. Open match, leading many to believe their relationship was becoming serious.

However, in October of that year, Williams’ representative told People that they were just longtime friends. In 2017, Williams married Alexis Ohanian, and the couple now has two daughters.