Stephen A. Smith slams Serena Williams for Super Bowl crip walk cameo in Kendrick Lamar's 'Drake diss'

 

The Super Bowl has long been known for its insane halftime shows, but this year, Kendrick Lamar took it far beyond a simple collection of jams and music into the culture. Lamar electrified Allegiant Stadium, turning the venue into a home of West Coast war energy with his much-hyped performance of “Not Like Us,” a song many have interpreted as a thinly veiled diss toward Drake. Although the explosive set included appearances from SZA, Serena Williams’ presence broke the internet.

The Compton-bred tennis royalty, crip-walked in flawless rhythm with the song’s beat, and social media blew up. Fans hailed the moment as a full-circle celebration of West Coast culture and, maybe, a dig at her former rumored flame, Drake.

Cue ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the veteran sports commentator, blasted Williams’ inclusion and the resulting video as cheap shots in light of her past with the Toronto rap artist. Fans quickly divided into camps, seeing Williams’ time as a space for harmless fun and cultural celebration, and those who sided with Smith deemed it an unwarranted jab at Drake. Some even pointed out that Serena has seemingly hinted at her past with the rapper, acknowledging their alleged romance in interviews.