"Let the woman dance"— Internet reacts to Serena Williams saying her crip walk at the Super Bowl was not a Drake diss

Serena Williams has finally addressed the buzz surrounding her surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show. The tennis legend's performance, which included a crip walk during Lamar's rendition of Not Like Us, a track widely interpreted as a diss aimed at rapper Drake, sparked widespread speculation about her intentions.

In an interview with Time magazine on April 17, Williams firmly denied any intent to shade the rapper, stating:

"Absolutely not. I would never do that. And that was sad, that anyone would ever think that. I respect how they could. Obviously, I can see how someone would think that. But absolutely not."

Serena Williams and Drake were rumored to have dated around 2011, with their relationship gaining attention after they were spotted together in 2015. Drake even allegedly referenced Williams in his 2016 song Too Good, according to The Independent. However, Williams emphasized that she harbored no negative feelings towards Drake, adding, "We've known him for so many years."

The internet quickly weighed in on Williams' explanation. Many fans defended her, urging others not to overanalyze her actions.

"Let the woman dance without turning it into a rap war theory," one user remarked.

"Y’all stay reaching. She was just vibing," another commented.

"That’s just a DANCE and y’all make it like a big deal," a third user added.

However, not everyone was convinced. Some argued that Williams' appearance was a deliberate jab at Drake.

"That's a load of garbage. The central focus of that entire performance was Drake. The entire performance was setup to lead to the 'A-Minor' line," a user said.

"I hate women like her. She knew EXACTLY how it would look, and she did it anyway. Now here we are two months later, she wants to say she didn’t have ill intent! Stand in it! You did it! It’s okay boo!" another expressed on X.

"Lmao she saw the backlash and now basically saying she regrets it," a third commented.

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Serena Williams' crip walk at the Super Bowl 2025

The Super Bowl performance was not Serena Williams' first time executing the crip walk. She previously performed the dance after winning at Wimbledon in 2012, which also drew criticism. Addressing the recent backlash, Williams expressed ambivalence about her decision to dance, stating, "I don't know if I regret it or not. I don't know the answer to that."

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith also weighed in, questioning Williams' decision to participate in the performance. He suggested that if he were married to someone who joined in trolling an ex, he would consider ending the relationship. Williams responded to Smith's remarks by saying:

"I thought it was hilarious. He's allowed to have his personal opinion. But did you see my husband's remark? It was so eloquent."

Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, defended her on social media, highlighting the criticism she faced for performing the same dance at Wimbledon in 2012. He tweeted:

"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."

In her Time interview, Serena Williams emphasized that her appearance was a celebration of her roots and a nod to her hometown of Compton. She described the moment as a symbolic celebration of her journey—from a young athlete growing up in Compton to be regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history.