Kendrick Lamar made history by becoming the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the halftime show. He performed the highly anticipated Drake diss “Not Like Us” and was also joined for a short cameo by tennis legend Serena Williams.
Like Lamar, Williams is not the biggest fan of Drake. She is rumored to have dated Drake several years ago, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith doesn’t approve of the trolling of her “ex.”
Stephen A. Smith Rips Apart Serena Williams for Dissing Her ‘Ex’ at Super Bowl Halftime Show
Williams made a short appearance on the stage with Lamar and was spotted dancing during the performance of “Not Like Us.” Her animosity towards Drake is well known, and many believed it was no coincidence that she chose to perform during the Grammy-winning diss track.
Smith also believed so, and speaking during Monday’s edition of “First Take,” he told his colleagues he would divorce Williams if he were her husband.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his a–, ‘cause clearly, you don’t belong with me.
“What you worried about him for and you’re with me? Bye. Bye.”
Stephen A. Smith on Serena Williams' cameo during the Super Bowl halftime show: "If I'm married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass. 'Cause clearly you don't belong with me. What you worried about him for and you're with me? Bye. Bye." pic.twitter.com/uiYI2ltK4k
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 10, 2025
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and both of them have been referenced in the rapper’s songs. While Drake derided Ohanian as a “groupie” in his 2022 song “Middle of the Ocean,” he referenced Williams in his 2013 song “Worst Behavior.”
The all-time tennis great fired back at Drake while hosting last year’s ESPY Awards and also danced to “Not Like Us.”
“If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar,” she said. “He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken.”
Earlier, Lamar kicked off the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show atop the GNX car from his latest album cover, setting the tone for a setlist packed with hits like “Humble,” “DNA,” “Peekaboo,” and “All the Stars.” As he launched into “Humble,” dancers around him formed an American flag. SZA joined him for “Luther” and “All the Stars,” adding to the night’s star power.
And then came the moment everyone was waiting for. The feud with Drake loomed large, and fans weren’t sure if Lamar would go there. But before “Not Like Us” dropped, he teased, “I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.”
