Explained: How Serena Williams and her iconic 'Crip Walk' became an unexpected part of the high-profile Young Thug YSL Rico trial

Serena Williams has found her way into pop culture once again, this time as an unexpected part of the Young Thug YSL Rico trials.

Jeffery Lamar Williams, better known in the music industry as Young Thug, is an Ameircan rapper, singer and songwriter. He is also credited as a pioneer of the mumble rap genre, and founded YSL, a record label based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Young Thug, who has had a history of conflicts with the law for gang-related, drug possession and firearm possession activities over the years, was arrested in 2022 in Atlanta on similar charges. Following this, a search of his home was conducted, which led to additional felonies being added to his name.

According to Prosecturs, YSL was led by Williams, who "ordered and oversaw crimes including murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, witness intimidation and drug dealing" (as reported by the New York Times).

After a year-long preparation, a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) criminal trail began against him in November 2023, with Williams standing accused with five other co-conspirators. Following a brief delay in proceedings after one of Young Thug's co-defendants was stabbed in jail, trial resumed in January 2024 and is currently on its 17th day.

Jeffery Lamar Williams has maintained his innocence, with Brian Steel, his primary lawyer on the case, arguing that he doesn't need the money from killing people and running a street gang.

"He is not running this criminal street gang. He is not sitting there telling people to kill people. He doesn’t need their money.”

During the trail, Steel interrogated 'Tick' -- one of the co-defendants on the case before he opted for a plea deal. The lawyer asked him if he knew who Serena Williams, to which Tick responded that he knew who she was.

Steel then asked him if he has seen her do the 'Crip Walk' at Wimbledon after winning the 2012 London Olympics, to which Tick responded in the negative.

"Do you know who Serena Williams is?" Steel asked Tick.

"Yeah," he responded.

"Have you seen her at Wimbledon doing what's called the Crip Walk? Do you know what a Crip Walk is, first of all?" Steel continued.

"I don't watch tennis," Tick replied.

For those unaware, the Crip Walk was popularized by Crips gang members during their rivalry with the Bloods gang. The Crip Walk quickly became a symbol of affiliation with the gang, with some reports claiming that it was even performed after killing someone to show that the violence was perpetrated by a Crips member.

Williams, meanwhile, celebrated her Olympic gold medal in London, for which she beat Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the final, with a similar dance performance.

It should be noted that the 23-time Grand Slam champion clarified that she did it purely as a dance move and not because of any gang-related reasons, as she copped a lot of criticism at the time from pundits in the US.

Serena Williams on the criticism she received for her Crip Walk celebration: "I don't care"

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Speaking to US weekly about the numerous complaints she received on her Crip Walk celebration, Serena Williams shot back, stating that she did not care what people said and that she was just excited by the win at the time.

While Williams admitted that the move was getting too much attention, she reiterated that it was just something that "happened" in the heat of the moment and that she had not planned on celebrating like that beforehand.

"It's getting so much attention. It just happened. I was so excited that it just came out. I guess I'm good at it! I don't care. That's the least of my worries," Serena Williams said.