23 Grand Slam winner Serena Williams’ unanticipated Super Bowl Crip Walk sparked debate because of the tragic connection to her sister Yetunde’s murder in 2003.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show was one-of-a-kind; however, one of the most unexpected moments came when Serena Williams made a cameo doing a Crip Walk at Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance.
Serena William’s decision to Crip Walk was indeed surprising, especially given her family’s tragic history with a dance move associated with the very gang, South Side Compton Crips, responsible for her sister Yetunde’s murder.
23 Grand Slam winner Serena, in a blue dress, Crip Walked across the field, which was likely a nod to her Los Angeles roots and a tribute to West Coast culture.
However, it understandably left many fans confused, considering the painful connection her family has to the very gang.
Serena herself has previously faced backlash for performing the Crip Walk after her Wimbledon victory in 2012, and she has since acknowledged the controversy surrounding the dance.
Serena Williams Crip Walkin at the #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/q4r5wQIYI8
— Jesta {⚽@Playmakers} (@Jesta01) February 10, 2025
While some people see it as just a dance move, others view it as insensitive, given the context of her sister’s murder.
This unexpected move at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance left many fans puzzled and ignited a wave of reactions on social media.
Her Crip Walk sparked diverse responses online. Some praised her for embracing West Coast culture and having fun on a global stage, saying
She from Compton so salute. Love frm South Central LA. I LOVE US
While some found it deeply unsettling, given her family’s painful history with the Crips. A user retweeted Serena’s tweet quoting,
dressed in blue crip walking in front of millions of people after crips killed your sister is questionable lol
Twitter
Serena and Venus William’s Sister Yetunde Price Was Fatally Shot by South Side Compton Crips Gang in 2003!
On September 14, 2003, the Williams family was struck by an unthinkable tragedy.
Yetunde Price, the eldest half-sister of tennis star Venus and Serena Williams, was tragically murdered on September 14, 2003, in a drive-by shooting in Compton, California.
She was a 31-year-old nurse and businesswoman who became the innocent victim caught in the crossfire of gang violence committed by the South Side Compton Crips.
Yetunde was a loving mother of three. She worked tirelessly as a registered nurse and also managed a beauty salon to provide for her family.
However, her life took a tragic turn when the tragedy struck on a quiet night in Compton, California, a city struggling with gang violence.
Yetunde was sitting in an SUV with her boyfriend, Rolland Wormley, outside a house when members of the South Side Compton Crips gang fatally shot her.
Serena Williams and her sisters recount the tragic 2003 murder of their eldest sister Yetunde in episode three of #SerenaIntheArena pic.twitter.com/M6ACeGkHp1
— Christian's Court (@christianscourt) July 25, 2024
The shooters, members of the South Side Compton Crips, mistakenly believed they were under threat from rival gang members.
Robert Edward Maxfield, one of the shooters, was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison; however, he was released early in 2018.
Serena and Venus Williams channeled their grief by establishing the Yetunde Price Resource Center in Compton. It aims to support victims of violence and provide resources to help individuals and families in need.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Serena and Venus Williams’s half-sister, Yetunde Price, was born to their mother, Oracene Price, and Yusef Rasheed. Oracene was married to Yusef Rasheed before she married William’s sisters’ father, Richard Williams.
- Yetunde had three kids, Jeffry, Justus, and Jair Bobbitt, with Rolland Wormley, her boyfriend at the time of her tragic death.
