Serena Williams became an unexpected headliner of Superbowl LIX, which took place last Sunday. The tennis legend had nothing to do with the game or its outcome, but her dance during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance raised several eyebrows, including Lewis Hamilton’s.
Williams took to the stage to perform a ‘crip walk’ while Lamar was singing, taking several digs at his professional rival, Drake.
There were mixed reactions from across the sporting world, with Williams facing heavy criticism on social media from some, while others, like Hamilton, praised her.
But to understand why it became a matter of controversy, it’s important to know what a crip walk actually is.
“The Crip Walk or C-Walk is characterized by the fast and coordinated movements of the feet, forming patterns and letters on the ground,” Spanish outlet Marca perfectly explained.
While the 23-time Grand Slam winner also celebrated her 2012 London Olympics gold medal in a similar fashion, people don’t find it appropriate.
The reason behind the same is that the dance has its origins in gang culture. Crips are one of the most “notorious” gangs in Compton County near Los Angeles, which is where Williams grew up.
The 43-year-old is facing a lot of criticism on social media, but Hamilton feels she hasn’t done anything wrong.
Hamilton backing a nonchalant Williams
Reposting the clip that Williams shared on her Instagram, Hamilton described her dance as “iconic”. Given that the seven-time F1 world champion has always been candid, he supports such behavior from Williams, who has been a close friend of his.
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Even the American former tennis player was quite nonchalant about her Crip walk and even joked about the same. Firstly, she posted on Twitter (now X), “Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little! “. In the clip of hers that accompanied this post, Williams also took a sly jibe at Wimbledon:
“Man, I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon. Oooh, I would’ve been fined! It was all love”
Many fans on social media also slammed Lamar’s performance as a whole. One X user deemed it the “worst halftime show” at a Super Bowl. Another did not feel good after listening to some of the “foul language” that Lamar used during the show.
Heard some of the disgusting foul language and then took all the kids to walk the dogs. Shameful show.
— $kylar (@TravelingMutts) February 10, 2025
Such anti-establishment acts often invite a lot of criticism in the modern society. However, stars like Hamilton don’t see a problem.
Hamilton applauded the Super Bowl champions
As a co-owner of the NFL team Denver Broncos, Hamilton has developed a significant interest in the sport. While the Broncos did not qualify for the Super Bowl this year, the Ferrari driver was proud of their efforts to improve and become a stronger team in the league.
He watched the Super Bowl, presumably from Europe, as he has been busy preparing for the 2025 F1 season with his new team, Ferrari. After the game ended with the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, Hamilton shared his thoughts on the match.
“Great game, great show. Mad respect to all the athletes who went out and gave it their all. Congrats to the Eagles. Deserved,” he wrote on his Instagram story.
The Eagles’ victory in New Orleans ensured that the Chiefs couldn’t achieve a historic three-peat, something never before accomplished in NFL history. It was a significant setback for the Chiefs, as their complacency was evident after dominating their way to the Super Bowl and winning it for two consecutive seasons.
Nevertheless, a powerhouse like them is bound to bounce back next season.
