Serena Williams has set the record straight on suggestions that she was throwing shade at Drake when she Crip Walked during Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl halftime show.
The tennis legend and Compton native, who previously dated Drizzy, spoke to TIME about the headline-grabbing moment.
Detailed her reaction to Kendrick asking her to be a part of his performance, she said: “We’ve been trying to do something together for ages. ‘I’m like, ‘Wait, what, you’re asking me?’ I’m not Taylor Swift, let’s be honest. I would have a better chance to be quarterback at the Super Bowl than dance.'”
Williams was also asked if she regretted the appearance given the controversy it caused, to which she replied: “I don’t know if I regret it or not. I don’t know the answer to that.”
She then denied that her cameo was a subliminal dig at Drake: “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. I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years.”
Serena also hit back at Stephen A. Smith for his negative comments about her Super Bowl appearance (“If I’m married, and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass,” he said on ESPN’s First Take after the game).
“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,” she said, referencing her partner Alexis Ohanian’s social media post.
Williams had previously dismissed the notion that her joining Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LIX had anything to do with Drake.
“That there my baby daddy and husband. Always got my back,” she wrote on social media in response to Ohanian’s aforementioned defense. “I Love you. Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion dollar companies and running @WYNbeauty … def not dancing to be petty lol.”
She continued: “I think I proved 23 times over (not counting 4 gold medals) that I simply don’t have time for petty. All love and respect always nothing negative here [hug emoji].”
Drake and Serena dated in 2011, during which time the rapper was seen cheering her on at Wimbledon.
Over a decade after their split, however, Drake bizarrely took a shot at Williams’ partner on his 2022 song “Middle of the Ocean,” rapping: “Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie.”
If you didn’t do it knowing it would be a diss to the guy you dated than you’re a retarded pawn.
Yes it was and c walking is weird especially when you lost your sister to them? Once again these west coast people are fake the ones pushed except Eazy E notice he didn’t act like these people.
Preach 🙏 Church
You did, own it.
I WANT TO SWALLOW DRAKE’S BABIES
We ever going to talk about the Michael Jackson turn she took with her face? Shit is very sad. Why do these celebrities hate being black? Are these white people fucking with their heads this bad behind the scenes?
I WANT DRAKE’S DICK NOW
This is absolute bullsh!t. FFS just own it. This tweet then delete style culture is so embarrassing.
No matter how hard she tries to deny it, she can’t win that argument. She’s dancing on stage with his foe–full stop. But if Aubrey’s gonna be a b!tch about it, that’s his problem.
Stfu! Man up. You danced to a song that had only one purpose. Get your head out of the sand lady. Being rich doesn’t make you smart smh.
Forever corny.