Serena Williams, a name synonymous with tennis dominance, briefly traded her racket for dance moves at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. During Kendrick Lamar’s performance of his Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” the camera spotlighted Williams executing the C Walk Dance. This wasn’t just a casual cameo; it was a layered statement loaded with Compton heritage, personal history, and a reclamation of a dance once criticized.
Williams’s appearance resonated deeply for several reasons, starting with her Compton upbringing, the same city that shaped hip-hop icon Kendrick Lamar. Compton’s influence on hip-hop culture is undeniable, and both Lamar and Williams carry this heritage in their careers. Adding another layer to this moment is Williams’s well-documented history with Drake. Rumors of a past relationship and subsequent lyrical jabs from Drake towards Williams and her husband have circulated for years. Lamar himself references Williams in “Not Like Us,” seemingly warning Drake against mentioning her name.
This context makes her c walk dance more than just a dance; it becomes a visual retort in this ongoing narrative. Adding further weight to the performance was the memory of the backlash Williams faced in 2012 after performing a similar dance at Wimbledon to celebrate her Olympic gold medal win.
The Wimbledon C-Walk Controversy: A Dance Misunderstood
In 2012, after securing victory at Wimbledon, Williams’s celebratory c walk dance sparked immediate controversy. Critics, like Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock, likened it to “cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church.” Others, including Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke, suggested the dance “glamorized gang violence.” This criticism stemmed from the association of the c walk dance, also known as the Crip Walk, with gang culture.
The c walk dance originated in the early 1970s in Compton, California, within the Crip community. Initially used as a way for members to identify themselves, it evolved into a dance form characterized by intricate footwork and rhythmic movements. Over time, it transcended its origins, becoming a part of hip-hop dance culture, often seen in music videos and performances. However, the dance’s roots continued to be a point of contention, especially when performed outside of its original cultural context.
Williams, whose own sister was tragically a victim of gang violence, responded to the 2012 criticism by simply stating, “It was just a dance.” However, the sting of the backlash clearly lingered.
Super Bowl C-Walk: Reclamation and Cultural Commentary
Fast forward to the Super Bowl halftime show in 2025, and Serena Williams’s c walk dance takes on a new dimension. Performing it during Kendrick Lamar’s set, in a song aimed at Drake, felt deliberate and powerful. It was a reclamation of a dance she was once shamed for, now performed on a global stage, unapologetically and in celebration of her Compton roots and in solidarity with Lamar’s artistic expression.
Social media erupted with praise for Williams’s cameo. Coco Gauff declared “serena ate that,” and Venus Williams echoed the sentiment with “You did that!!!”. Fans and commentators alike recognized the layers of meaning in her performance. One X user pointed out, “For those of y’all who weren’t outside, the media tore Serena to shreds for crip walking at Wimbledon. Her coming back to do a dance that references a culture she’s actually a part of, during a live performance criticizing someone for being a culture vulture is *chef’s kiss.*”
The Super Bowl c walk dance was not just a fleeting moment; it was a carefully considered statement. It was Serena Williams owning her narrative, celebrating her heritage, and using dance to communicate on a grand scale. It served as a powerful reminder of the complexities of cultural appropriation, the evolution of dance, and the enduring strength of Serena Williams as a cultural icon.
