The Two Times Serena Williams' Crip Walk Shocked The World: From Olympic Gold To Super Bowl LIX
The moment Serena Williams performed the Crip Walk on a global stage is one of the most polarizing and discussed celebrations in sports history, a powerful statement that transcended tennis and sparked a decade-long conversation about race, culture, and expression. As of December 24, 2025, the narrative surrounding this dance has been completely updated, moving from a controversial Olympic victory celebration in 2012 to a triumphant, culture-defining moment during the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, cementing its place as a symbol of pride and defiance for the Compton-raised legend.
The dance, a high-energy, intricate footwork sequence, is deeply rooted in the culture of Compton, California, the city where Serena and her sister Venus Williams honed their legendary skills. The two instances where she performed the dance—once in a moment of pure sporting euphoria and again in a deliberate, high-profile cultural statement—serve as bookends to a significant chapter in her public life, challenging the world's perception of a champion's celebration.
Serena Williams: A Brief Biography of a Tennis Icon
Serena Jameka Williams, born on September 26, 1981, is an American former professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest and most impactful athletes of all time. Her career is defined by an unparalleled blend of power, athleticism, and mental fortitude that revolutionized women's tennis.
- Full Name: Serena Jameka Williams
- Born: September 26, 1981 (Age 44 as of late 2025)
- Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
- Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.
- Sister: Venus Williams (also a tennis legend)
- Husband: Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit)
- Daughter: Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
- Professional Career: 1995–2022
- Grand Slam Singles Titles: 23 (Open Era record)
- Olympic Medals: 4 Gold Medals (1 Singles, 3 Doubles)
- Playing Style: Powerful baseline game, dominant serve.
Williams holds the Open Era record for the most Grand Slam singles titles with 23, and she is the only player, male or female, to achieve a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. Her journey from the public courts of Compton, California, to global stardom is a central element of her enduring legacy and directly informs her cultural expressions, including the controversial dance that brought her roots to the Olympic stage.
The Original Shock: The 2012 London Olympics Controversy
The first time the world witnessed Serena Williams perform the Crip Walk was at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The moment came after a stunning performance where Williams defeated her rival, Maria Sharapova, in the gold medal tennis match with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 score.
A Celebration Rooted in Compton Culture
Following her decisive victory, which secured her the highly coveted Olympic gold medal in singles, Williams dropped her racket and performed a celebratory dance move on the hallowed grass courts of Wimbledon. Media pundits and observers quickly identified the move as the Crip Walk, often abbreviated as the C-Walk.
The Crip Walk is a street dance that originated in the 1970s and is historically associated with members of the Crip gang in Compton, California. This association immediately sparked a minor but intense controversy. Critics accused Williams of glorifying gang violence on a prestigious international platform like the Olympics. The debate quickly spiraled into a discussion about the appropriateness of street culture in mainstream sports, particularly when performed by a Black athlete.
In response to the backlash, Serena Williams maintained that her move was simply "just a dance," dismissing the more serious political and gang-related interpretations. For Williams, who grew up in the area where the dance originated, the move was likely an authentic, spontaneous expression of joy and a nod to her cultural heritage, a way to connect her historic achievement back to her humble beginnings in Compton.
The Ultimate Redemption: Super Bowl LIX and the Cultural Statement
More than a decade after the initial controversy, Serena Williams reclaimed the narrative surrounding the Crip Walk in a spectacular and highly publicized fashion. The second, and arguably more significant, performance occurred during the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February 2025.
A Surprise Cameo with Kendrick Lamar
During the halftime show, the Compton-born rapper Kendrick Lamar delivered a powerful performance, which included his hit track "Not Like Us"—a direct diss track aimed at fellow rapper Drake. In a surprise cameo, Serena Williams joined Lamar on stage and performed a confident, deliberate Crip Walk as the track played.
This appearance was immediately recognized as a powerful cultural and symbolic statement. It was more than just a dance; it was a public alignment with Compton culture and a powerful clapback at the critics who had condemned her a decade earlier. Many interpreted the moment as Williams finally getting her "Crip Walk redemption," performing the dance on the biggest stage in American entertainment, fully embracing her roots without apology.
The context of the Super Bowl performance—set to a track celebrating West Coast unity and against the backdrop of a major cultural moment—transformed the dance from a source of controversy into a celebration of shared identity and resilience. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, even took to social media to clap back at renewed criticism, further solidifying the family's defense of the cultural expression.
The Enduring Meaning of Serena’s C-Walk
The two separate performances of the Crip Walk by Serena Williams illustrate a powerful evolution in how Black cultural expression is received and interpreted in mainstream sports and media. The initial reaction in 2012 focused heavily on the dance's gang-related origins, highlighting a tendency to police the joy and spontaneous celebration of Black athletes.
The 2025 Super Bowl appearance, however, marked a shift. By performing the dance alongside another Compton icon, Kendrick Lamar, Williams reframed the Crip Walk as an act of cultural pride and a celebration of her journey from the streets of Compton to the pinnacle of global success. It was a deliberate act of using her massive platform to validate a significant piece of her community's heritage.
The dance serves as a poignant reminder of Williams' tragic connection to the violence often associated with her hometown. Her older half-sister, Yetunde Price, was fatally shot in Compton in 2003, a stark reality that underscores the complexity of celebrating a dance connected to the very environment that brought her both success and sorrow. This deeper context adds layers to her decision to perform the Crip Walk, suggesting it is not just a dance, but a complex, personal, and public acknowledgment of where she comes from.
Ultimately, Serena Williams' Crip Walk—in both its 2012 and 2025 iterations—has become an iconic symbol of an athlete who refused to confine her celebration to the expectations of the white, privileged spaces that traditionally dominate tennis. It is an enduring testament to her authenticity, her roots, and her unwavering commitment to being true to herself, regardless of the controversy it ignites.
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