Was that Serena Williams on the Super Bowl halftime show?

For the past year, Kendrick Lamar showed the whole world that we haven’t been hating enough. He participated in and won one of the biggest rap beefs in hip-hop history, and has the Grammys to prove it. 

In the beef-ending hit “Not Like Us,” Lamar dropped a few names, including Serena Williams, so naturally, when he was announced as the headliner of the Super Bowl halftime Show, everyone wanted to know who else would show up. 

Kendrick Lamar is the pettiest man alive  

Kendrick Lamar’s half-time performance has been highly anticipated since it was announced, especially since K-Dot’s performances are always charged with tons of energy. But not only did he give a great show, but he snuck in another jab at his already-defeated opponent, Drake, which had the internet marveling at just how petty he can get. 

Armed with a lineup of A-list stars, Kendrick turned heads with one last special guest. Eagle-eyed fans noticed a familiar figure crip-walking among the backup dancers, and it turned out to be Serena Williams.

The legendary tennis player famously dated Drake briefly in 2011, but the two are not on good terms. During the show, Williams was having the time of her life stomping on her ex, and her appearance cemented Lamar’s legacy as the reigning rap champion. 

How Kendrick perfected the art of hating

Lamar’s performance was stacked with some of his biggest hits, including: “Humble,” as well as a sneak peek at an unreleased track. His backup dancers were dressed in red white and blue, representing the American flag, but also the rival gangs of his native Compton. He had Samuel L. Jackson playing Uncle Sam and serving as announcer to the performance. But, it wasn’t all seriousness and history lessons. 

Midway through the performance, Lamar cheekily teased the opening bars of “Not Like Us,” only to stop and quip, “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.” This was a hit at Drake and his ongoing lawsuit against their label, Universal Music Group, for promoting “Not Like Us” as hard as they did. 

After this, Lamar brought out his a highly anticipated but much-appreciated special guest, SZA. The duo performed their duet hits, “Luther” and “All the Stars” with their signature chemistry. 

Drake had no idea what was in store for him when he started this beef. From Lamar’s first drop, he proved that he wasn’t here to play, which ultimately led to him taking home the win. But Lamar’s win wasn’t just a win within the culture. His final checkmate at Drake, “Not Like Us,” was so masterful it escaped the bounds of the beef and led him back to the Grammy stage. 

Lamar was already on a victory lap after releasing the song. He first held the iconic Pop-Out: Ken & Friends concert on Juneteenth where he performed “Not Like Us” five times in succession. Following this, he released the Grammy-winning music video on Independence Day last year. Then, he had the entire Grammy audience singing along to “Not Like Us” as he accepted award after award, and now, he has Drake’s ex crip-walking all over him. Lamar has refused to pull his punches this entire time and it’s safe to say it’s paid off for him.