Serena Williams 'Died a Little' During Her Surprise Cameo in Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Performance

Mar. 15, 2025

Serena Williams during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl 2025 halftime show in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025.Photo:FOX

FOX

In avideoshared to her Instagram shortly after the performance on Sunday, Feb. 9, Williams, 43, was seen practicing her moves backstage while a hair and makeup team worked their magic in the moments before she went out on the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

“Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little! 💃🏿,” she captioned the post.

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During Sunday’s championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, tennis champion appeared on stage duringKendrick Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at “Hotline Bling” rapperDrake.

Serena Williams at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025.Emilee Chinn/Getty

Emilee Chinn/Getty

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“I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue," Lamar, 37, said before diving into the hit single — the “they” seemingly in reference to Drake, who filed adefamation suitinvolving Lamar in January.

Lamar’s decision to include Williams, a fellow Compton native, in his halftime performance holds extra significance given that she and Drake, 38, dated around 2011. And the meaning was not lost on fans.

“Ok I lied SERENA WILLIAMS doing a CRIP WALK on Drake’s tomb (this performance) was THE BEST thing I’ve ever seen,” oneX userposted.

“Serena Williams, Drake’s ex girlfriend, crip walking to #TheyNotLikeUs is diabolical,”wrote another fan.

Samuel L. Jackson during the Super Bowl 2025 halftime show in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025.FOX

Samuel L. Jacksonalso made a cameo during the halftime show, showing up to introduce the Grammy winner while dressed as Uncle Sam.

In addition to “Not Like Us,” Lamar performed several of his biggest hits, including “HUMBLE.” and “Squabble Up.” SZA, who was previously announced as a special guest, also appeared to sing two songs with the rapper, including “All the Stars.”

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles faced off in the 2025 Super Bowl, which aired on Fox on Sunday, Feb. 9.

source: people.com