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Serena Williams has finally addressed the controversy surrounding her appearance at the Super Bowl Halftime show, where she joined Kendrick Lamar on stage during his performance of Not Like Us—a diss track aimed at Drake, her ex-boyfriend from 2014. Some fans thought her appearance was a jab at Drake, especially since Lamar and Drake had been involved in a public feud. However, Serena quickly shut down these rumors.
In an interview for Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People issue, released on April 15, she clarified that there was no intention to disrespect Drake. “Absolutely not,” she said, explaining that while she understood how people might interpret it that way, it wasn’t her intention. Serena also expressed that she never held any “negative” feelings toward Drake, explaining that they’ve known each other for many years.
Serena’s Super Bowl cameo wasn’t just about the song, though. She also performed a Crip Walk, which sparked criticism from some who thought she was promoting gang culture. When asked if she regretted it, Serena said, “I don’t know if I regret it or not.”
One of her biggest critics was sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who joked that if his wife had done something similar, he would have divorced her. Serena laughed off the comment and highlighted her husband, Alexis Ohanian’s, eloquent response. She’s been married to Ohanian since 2017 and they have two daughters, Olympia, 7, and Adira, 18 months.