During the Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar surprised everyone when he brought Serena Williams to crip walk during "Not Like Us." Since her performance, many online have reacted in dramatically opposite ways. Days after her appearance, Williams now has explained her decision to appear at Lamar's performance.
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Serena Williams took to Instagram to explain her decision, attaching a behind-the-scenes video compilation.
"When Kendrick Lamar and team called and was like 'we've been trying to do something forever, what about this? We loved your crip walk at the Olympics after you won the gold medal,'" Williams wrote. "I'm like Super Bowl? Are you serious? When in the world would I ever be able to dance at a superbowl? (Never) let's do it!"
She concluded by saying that her winning dance at the Olympics, which was also heavily criticized, paid off. "End of story," she wrote.
Crip Walk Controversy
Many online reacted negatively to her dance during Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. Users pointed out that her sister, Yetunde Hawanya Tara Price, was murdered by members of the South Side Compton Crips. The gang members opened fire at Price's vehicle after they thought rival members were threatening the crack house that Price had parked outside of.
So, for many, the fact that Serena Williams crip walked, a dance associated with the Compton Crips, was an insult to her sister's memory.
"She's lost a sister to gang violence in a drive-by shooting, but she's crip-walking on Kendrick's set last night. She's a controlled clown," one user wrote. "[As] someone who has a twin sister that is no longer on this earth, I can't believe how you could disrespect your late sister," another user wrote.
However, many others were supportive of her appearance and defended her dance. For some, it was a direct answer to the controversy she experienced following her previous crip walk at the Olympics. Others believed it was a way of showing healing and forgiveness following her sister's death.
"Let 'em know. Like Kendrick said, "this is bigger than music." Folks either UNDERSTOOD that Half-Time show — or REALLY didn't," one user wrote. "Waking up to this video is pure happiness! Stealing the show, the night, and watching you be yourself with all the fun you deserve so much is amazing!!!"
